Four Carters Three Generations Two Shields and a Late Reunion
by Alex Mcpherson
Summary: Three Generations of Carters with their own connection to Captain America. Old friend, Inheritor, Curiosity, Neighbour. Steve wont know what hit him. Skye Grew up as Peggy's Adopted Daughter. Sharon is Skye's adopted daughter. Background F/F relationships both confirmed in-story and implied. First Posted of 'Captain Skye'. Skye/Natasha, Steve/Sharon.
1. Prologue

**Authors Note:** Originally posted to Archive of Our Own.

This is one of several stories in my head (to see names of planned stories in the series, google search 'Marvel "Captain Skye" series' with the Captain Skye in quotations, top result.)

In this fic, the MCU movies (up to but not including Black Panther - haven't seen it yet) and both of the ABC shows (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. up to Mid-Season 5's departure from the future) has happened. The... that last bit with Agents is me saying "what if it didn't send them properly". Skye, as the only one with super powers gets the rewind on steroids. Side note to understand how she relived her life from a baby with that trip and not remember the old timeline: In Harry Potter and Order of the Phoenix, there's a time cabinet in the department of mysteries, and a death eater ends up head-first into it, his head got timewarped to being a baby. That, but her whole body, and since it was time being unwound around her body... reversed the terrigenesis, then the healing from GH325 and the being shot as why for 325, all the way back. And then I'm taking one little detail I don't think anyone picked up on.

Skye never had a DNA test to confirm what Cal, Jiaying, Sonic and The Ass were saying about who her parents are. In my head canon, that baby died in a foster home and another orphan of similar ethnicity was used to cover that up. And GH325 is even why Skye got her powers through Terrigenesis. Just like it was why Skye's blood (and not some other inhuman) could be used by HIVE to create other Inhumans * _gasp*_ does this mean that in canon, there's a good chance that she's NOT Daisy Johnson?. My headcannon. (It's Phil and May after the academy. Already read that in one fic, I think it also went with the 'mix up' route where Skye then DID find the real daisy, who wasn't dead, but also powered because Hydra exposed her to terrigen crystals as a baby, hence 'baby 0-8-4'. Why else would a baby be designated that, and POWERS were mentioned though implied that they didn't know if the baby did or did NOT have them. The fact it even came up as baby might have powers... no seriously?)

Anyway, in this story, the background is simple (and complex, as usual). While unconscious, her powers interacted with the trip back in time, and ended up in 1951. Somehow, blabla will be revealed in the story so shh not spoiling that part, and was found by Peggy on the doorstep of her New York Apartment (not the one from the show, either of them). Peggy raised her as her own child, butterfly effected Peggy's own family in several ways, for starters, she never married, and Angie stuck around and though, story-canon is they were just friends, in-universe some people think they were a lesbian couple.

Skye, because of Time spatial Doctor-Who-sounding reasons, is smarter - or rather, has access to her adult-level intelligence at a young age, and so as she grew, got even smarter. This ends up with her graduating high school as a preteen, university with several bachelors and masters at seventeen, and joined the military early. Around and through that, her intelligence and who her mother was meant that some people paid attention. Other people, not knowing why on the family side, also start to do so and this that the other, spoiler spoiler, blabla, She meets Natalia Alianovna Romanovna. yadda yadda, stuff not relevant to story, skip to the eighties and Skye and Natalia end up married. (No, I am not calling this a Quack fic.) Get to 1986, and Sharon's orphaned when only a week old, and Skye and Natalia adopt Sharon.

Ripples and waves, though a lot stays the same, but some things are the same but not, by being early, or reached through different path like how Sharon does not have the cover, 'Kate, the nurse' who's not actually a nurse, but rather, she actually is a nurse, and also other offscreen things so she does get to sell the nurse cover by, being an actual nurse, working at a hospital and everything, and as such DOES spend more than two-minutes screen time interacting with him to the point that they're friends and... ahem, sorry. Anyway. That happens, EARLY, as in between him waking up and Avengers,... important, because this fic features them as a couple, and takes place a month before the events of the film, where they're already friends, both have a massive crush on the other, and even not having spoken to him yet, Natasha still wants to play match-maker for him.

 **Story Relationship Tags:** The Carter family in this fic:

Peggy Carter & Skye Carter [ _Daisy Johnson_ ] (Mother : Daughter via adoption)  
Peggy Carter & Natalia Carter [ _Natalia Romanovna_ or _Natasha Romanoff_ ] (Mother-in-Law : Daughter-in-Law)  
Peggy Carter & Sharon Carter (Grandmother : Granddaughter via adoption, Great-Aunt : Great-Niece by blood relation)  
Skye Carter / Natalia Carter (Married)  
Skye Carter & Sharon Carter (Mother : Daughter via adoption)  
Natalia Carter & Sharon Carter (Mother : Daughter via adoption)  
Sharon Carter / Steve Rogers

Anyway, on with the show.

 **Story Summary:** Peggy Carter has waited for over half a century for his return, and just wanted to see him again.  
Skye Carter dreamed of taking his mantle and joined the military under a pseudonym and all she's missing is the costume uniform.  
Sharon Carter just wanted to help him fit into the modern world and learn who the real Steve Rogers was, behind the stories and not the poster-boy portrayed by history.  
Natalia Carter, who knows what she wants? Except to play match-maker, and have some time alone with her wfe.

Steve just wants to relax, slowly process, recover and yes, maybe take his nurse neighbour out on a date.

This is a story where they all get what they want. More or less.

 **Chapter Summary:** She'd spent a long time away, and now she had a change for a vacation she was taking it. Bonus then that her Mothers' birthday was coming up.

* * *

 **Skye Carter's House, Gardiners Island, Suffolk County - April 6th, 2012**

She opened the door to her house in the Hamptons and sighed blissfully at the peace and quiet. There was only so long she could take the noise, the hustle of sea life, before she would wish for the peace and quiet of her home, the place she'd built for herself.

When she'd joined the Navy, she knew that she wasn't going to stick around any one place long enough to buy a house, and she didn't want to be paying rent on somewhere that she wasn't even going to be using most of the year. Instead, she'd bought an RV once she graduated flight school, and had been waiting for a spot on a Fleet Replacement Squadron. It was old, but she got it looking brand-new over many arduous weekends. Then had it parked in a Navy long-term parking lot whenever she was on deployment.

When she heard about her promotion to Lieutenant Commander, she knew that it was time to get an actual house, but again, she knew she wouldn't stay anywhere long enough to justify high rents or price-tags, yet it wouldn't do for a Navy Lieutenant Commander, in charge of a Squadron Department to live out of an RV. So another solution was made. The original owner of the place told her that she would have inherited it anyway, so why not just transfer it then and there to her name?

She placed her bags down by the stairs, though kept a gym bag on her shoulder, and went into the lounge, seeing in the dark and hearing the flickering of the fire. "You're early."

Sat quietly in a rocking chair by the fireplace, an old grey-haired woman looked up at her. "So are you. I thought you'd been spending the next few weeks overseeing her decommissioning?" She tried to hide it, but her visitor still saw it. "Ah, I'm guessing you were finding it too difficult, too many memories?"

"Most of my career milestones were aboard that ship. Once I'd finished not just Flight School, but also training on the Skyhawk, she was my first ship-board posting. My first cruise as a Squadron Commander, as a Commander of the Air Group, as a First Officer, and as a Captain. A Lot of my firsts were aboard that ship." The woman snorted, and gave her a look, which didn't take her any time to decade. "You know what I meant. Mind, gutter, out."

The woman just laughed as she looked down, and turned a page of a photo album laid in her lap. "I hope you brought my pictures, Skye. You know how I get."

"Yes, _Mother._ " Skye replied, and opened her bag enough to pull out a very thick packet, held closed by a dozen elastic bands. She placed them down on a coffee table, put the bag behind the other rocking chair on the opposite side of the fire, and then moved over. "Missed you, Peggy."

Peggy just smiled up at her as she received a soft hug. "No you haven't."

Skye frowned lightly, playful as she let go and sat down, on the floor in front of the fireplace, rather than the other rocking chair. "Yes, I have. All those stories that you never seem to run out of. It's because of you that I joined up with, well..."

Peggy chuckled. "You never did tell me how you got out of trouble for that."

She shrugged as she grinned. "Same way I got in at Seventeen. Pays to have contacts all over the place who can make it legal."

That just got a laugh. "Wait... You mean you weren't joking... He did it?"

Skye sighed as her eyes turned distant. "I miss him." Then she looked at Peggy, "All of them, really. Even Dum-dum."

Peggy sighed with a slight laugh, eyes going just as distant as Skye's had, though this time they turned to the mantelpiece, on which sat a collection of photographs. Some were from the War, some were of Skye growing up, and most of both featured the Howling Commandos quite prominently. Peggy's favourite stood front-and-centre, from when Skye was seventeen. Skye was in her full Navy dress uniform, stood in front of the original Headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D. Camp Le High in New Jersey. At her right shoulder, was Peggy herself, and on her left was Dum-Dum Dugan. And she was holding a round disc, of a silver-star on blue, with a white and two red stripes.

It was also in the earlier photos, the earliest being when she was maybe two years old. But aside from the photo at Camp Le High, there was only one photo of her after ward with it, taken maybe ten years later. And it was this photo, that was Skye's favourite, though she hadn't told even Peggy. The photo was taken here, in her house when it was still Peggy's summer house. Given it was bigger than Peggy's New York City apartment, she had chosen to host that Halloween party here. Skye must have been drunk through the whole weekend, as she actually wore a Captain America costume, and held the shield. But that wasn't why it was her favourite - it was because of the company she was arm-in-arm with. And behind the two, Dum-Dum was stood, stretching his arms above them, about to pour two pint glasses of something over the two of them.

It was the last photo she had of Dum-Dum. He'd died a few months later while she'd been on a deployment.

"She'll be alright." Skye almost jumped, and turned her gaze to Peggy, who just gazed knowingly. "She knows how to take care of herself."

"I know, I just... every mission she has in Russia... I worry."

"I won't tell you not to. Lord knows I'm guilty of worrying too much myself."

Skye nodded, and stood up, "Well... I think I should distract myself by unpacking."

"You can do that in the morning, it's late. And speaking of, help me up?" Peggy extended a hand out, and Skye smoothly pulled her up.

"Please tell me you're not leaving at this hour?" Skye begged, getting a laugh for it. "Speaking of which, you shouldn't be driving on your own."

Peggy waved a hand, as she slowly made her way out of the dark yet warm lounge and into the cooler hallway. The lights revealed more than just her eyes and expression, her hair was long, and silver from age. "I may be turning ninety-one this week, but I'm not an invalid." Skye gave her a look. "Besides, I flew here. One of the newer Quinjets with that wonderful hologram cloaking technology, Nicholas decided that I should have both the best transport and the best protection in my retirement."

"Peggy..."

"I know, I know. I shouldn't pilot. And I didn't. You know how advanced autopilot systems are these days, of course I'm going to take advantage every chance I can get. It won't be long before I can't."

Skye just sighed as she followed the woman she called Mother up the stairs and made sure she got settled in bed properly. "And I here I thought I worried about you too much." Even as Skye helped her get tucked in and that she was warm enough, she couldn't help giving Peggy an admonishing look. "Never mind Talia, _you're_ the one whose going to give me grey hairs."

"And it would be about time too. It's not right that you look young enough to be my granddaughter, when you're only thirty years younger than me."

"Uh-huh." Skye just gave her a smirk, before it faded to a soft smile, "I'm glad you were still up. I get to do this." She leaned in and gave a bigger hug than the one she gave downstairs. "Love you."

"Love you too, Skye."

She pulled away, and moved to the door, but paused to just look at Peggy.

She was a far cry from the woman in the pictures on the mantelpiece, the larger photos hung up in places around the house. And further still from the woman posed in the black-and-white picture that sat on the bedside table, laughing alongside Steve Rogers.

"Good night Mother."

She barely heard the whispered reply, and left the room, returning downstairs to put out the fire.

Before she did, she looked up at the biggest picture above the fireplace, on the wall above the mantel. A long time ago, an enlarged copy of the picture on Peggy's bedside, of Peggy and Steve hung there. Now, and for the last fifteen years, it was a picture of their family.

Margaret Elizabeth "Peggy" Carter, her adopted daughter Skye "Stephanie Rogers" Carter, and her grandniece, Sharon Carter. Peggy was sat, centred, wearing her best suit and giving her best amused smile to the camera. At her right shoulder, stood at attention almost, Skye in her uniform wearing the rank of Commander. And sat beside Peggy, a young Sharon Carter, barely into her teens.

She pulled out her cell phone, and sent a quick message, and remembering to lower the volume scant seconds before she received the reply in the form of it ringing.

"Hey Sweetie."

A very audible sigh at the other end was her own greeting. "How many times, I'm a grown adult, and a trained-"

"Yes yes Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Specialist, I know." Skye rolled her eyes hearing the frustrated sigh that repeated itself. "I still helped raise you. And who is it listed as your next of kin? And, oh yeah, what is it you call me?"

"There's no need to embarrass me, Mom. Anyway, what's up? And what time zone are you in?"

"I've just got home. Your grandmother-"

"-Aunt-"

Skye sighed and reiterated, "Grandmother. Sharon, if you call me Mom, then that makes her your grandmother. Anyway she's here. Rather surprised when she told me how she got here without her driver, or her car for that matter."

"Oh? Wait..."

"Tell Nicky I'll be having words."

Despite being twenty-five, approaching twenty-six, Sharon's response was more like that of a teenager, lots of giggling. "I'll be sure to pass it along." There was a pause, and some sounds in the background told Skye Sharon was likely at her apartment. "So you'll be there for her party? I'm trying to get time off myself, but you know how the hospital can be."

Skye blinked, yet went with it. She knew her daughter was a specialist, and not just any specialist, but had inherited the code-name Agent Thirteen from her great-grand-aunt/grandmother Peggy Carter. She was also one of the few field agents with a significant degree of medical training - enough that any time they need someone to go undercover as a nurse, Sharon had been high up the list for the last few years.

"Yes. I actually have about three months of leave saved up, so I won't be going anywhere for a while." Skye stared for a moment at one of the pictures that was just of herself and one other person - the same one Dum-Dum was about to pour stuff on in the Halloween picture. "Oh, you wouldn't happen to know if he'll be coming along?" Skye asked, referring to Nick.

"Well, when I tell him you want a word, I'll be sure to ask. But you know him."

Skye smiled. She didn't say it, though she thought it, and Sharon likely did too. Nick would be his usual evasive self, even though the answer is obvious - of course he'll be there. "Now, onto more important things."

It was normally difficult, given her training, but her cover as such meant that she had to not cover a more normal emotional reaction, "Such as?"

"Are you bringing a plus one?" Skye grinned as she heard sputtering. "Oh come now, I've heard you have your eye on someone. A Neighbour of yours, apparently." Skye didn't say that knowing she was undercover, that meant that either she was saying that to reinforce the cover... or whoever the neighbour was, was an ally that Fury wanted a covert close-protection detail on.

"God, you're both as bad as grandmother, I DON'T NEED A DATE!" A loud bang sounded, and Skye froze. A second later, her voice came back, distant. "Uh... Hey Steve. Sorry, it's just... My... Mom. It's... Embarrassing." A pause. "Oh I don't think you'd be..." another. "R-Really?" Another pause. "Wouldn't it be a little weird? No - I mean.. No not the age thing, or the... other thing. I mean, they'd think I invited you as a date..." A pause, then Sharon spoke again, only this time it came as a high-pitch squeek. "Reaa-" A Cough "-Really, you'd... I... it's my grandmother's ninety-first birthday, we're having a party - not a big one, small get together really, family and some friends, but... I think you'll be welcome." A pause, and Skye was sure she could hear a thundering heart-beat. "Really? Great!. That's... Great. It's a date- I-I-I-mean, not a date, but.. well. Oh kill me now."

Skye sat heavily on the rocking chair Peggy had been sat in, and couldn't help her silent giggles.

"Mom... Mom? Mom stop... stop laughing... Mom I can _hear_ you."

Skye let go, only barely keeping from being loud to wake Peggy.

"You suck. I'm going. It's late. I'm tired. And... Oh god I just asked him out on a date..."

Skye grinned to herself, "Well. Looking forward to meeting him. At least tell me he's not some half-balding office worker with a low IQ?" It may have sounded like a crack at people who work office jobs, but it was her way of asking if it was related to the cover job.

"Mom!"

"I'm sorry. Just joking, I know your type. So. Tell me all. Tall? Short? Skinny? Muscular? What does he do?"

Sharon gave a halfhearted sigh, and a door could be heard closing over the phone. Then quietly, she added, "He's the guy I'm watching."

Skye took a breath, and asked, "Okay, so... please tell me it's what I thought when Talia told me about it. You know, a good guy that Fury wants covert close protection for?"

"Honestly, given who he is, I don't know why Fury thinks he needs it."

Skye frowned. "Huh? So I take it this paramour of yours can defend himself?"

"Mom... Jeez I swear you're trying to give _me_ grey hairs. Yes, he can defend himself. Boy... Can he. And those Muscles... oh god I'm drooling just thinking ab-... Er..." Sharon audibly gulped. "Forget that last bit."

"Not. A. Chance. Come on. Spill."

"No. You'll... you'll understand when I bring him over... Okay? I... can we change subject? Please?"

Skye sighed. "Fine. Fine. Do you know who can make it? I'm not exactly current with our friends activities, beyond you and Bobbi."

"I tried asking Melinda, but, you know how she is these days."

Skye sighed sadly, "Lock-down and brick-wall. I'll talk to her." She looked at one of the many pictures on the mantle, near the left side. It was one of the few without Skye, though she was the one who took the photo. It was Peggy, along with several agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. all in matching suits. "Trip?"

"Sorry, his supervising officer's got him on some survivalist course, completely out of contact. Phil said he'd try, though he makes no promises. And almost everyone else is on missions for the next few weeks. Maria said she'll definitely come though."

"Well, that's a start, I suppose."

"What about yours? Will you be back at work by then, or what?"

"Don't you think I forgot about your birthday next month. I was thinking, just the four of us. Talia, Me, You, Peggy. A couple of weeks off somewhere. No work. No cover. No cracks about me being the female Captain America." Sharon choked. "Yes I still get that from time to time, both here and at work. Just the four of us, and sun, sea and sand. How's your tan?"

Sharon was rather choked a little as she replied, "Oh, not so good. hospital lighting's not really good for it, you know."

"See, you sound like you need a vacation."

"Yeah..." Sharon sounded distant.

"Well it's late, you've probably been pulling a double shift, so..." She knew Sharon would catch the spy innuendo, as she added. "Go get some sleep. Wouldn't want you pulling a ... muscle... now would we?"

"You're terrible. And that's a terrible pun. Night Mom. Love you."

"Love you too. Sweetie."

A half-sigh half-chuckle was her answer as she ended the call.

She put the phone back in her pocket, and stoked out the fire.

Navigating the room in the almost pitch black, she started to loosen her clothes as she got out of the lounge, and slipped her shoes off near the stairs, setting them into a corner near some other shoes. Slowly, padding her way to her bed, she barely managing to strip to underwear as she fell asleep on top of the covers.

In the low light of the full moon casting into her bedroom, the open doors of her wardrobe revealed two interesting items hung on the back of them, one a distinctive pair of pants, and the other, just as distinctive, if not more so, jacket in the pale blue, faded white and blood-red with various accents that was a very real-looking copy of a uniform once worn by one man. And lent against the wardrobe, glinting in the light, the very real Vibranium Shield of Captain America.

* * *

 **Authors note:** Skye calls Peggy 'Mother', formal. Skye is _60_ at this point (not including the almost thirty-years from the alpha timeline), and has grown up a lot, so she will speak that way. Sharon calls Skye 'Mom', though, as later in the fic, she calls Natalia (Natasha, remember?), 'Mamochka', (Russian tender informal?), 'Mama' (Informal normal?) and 'Mother' (when she's just exasperated or angry though she switches through the three even in the same conversation.)

Gardiners Island is also the home to SHIELD Headquarters in this new timeline, because of various ripples that also went further back then just 1951. No, Skye doesn't have the shield from steve because of that. shh! spoiler!


	2. Party

**Authors Note:** Originally posted to Archive of Our Own.

 **Chapter Summary:** Setting the Stage, or the one where an Avenger and Sharon Carter enter from stage-left.

* * *

 **S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion, Washington D.C. - April 7th, 2012**

It was only the third time she had ever been to the Triskelion. From 2000 to 2003, she'd been in training at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy of Operations in Jersey - formerly known as Camp Lehigh. She'd then spent four years training and became a Registered Nurse.

The first time she stepped into the Triskelion was in 2009, when Philip Coulson tasked her for the team responding to the Duel of Los Angeles between Tony Stark and Obadiah Stane. Given her family link to Tony, she was chosen less from my skills - with little experience compared to others - than because Tony was more likely to respond better to her, as was proven. Afterward, Director Fury had her brought to the Triskelion for a debriefing, but did not disclose what specifically he was looking for in her report.

The second time was pretty clear to her. October 7th, 2011 - Only six months ago. Once more, she was tasked because of her family, although this time she had skills that actually were valuable and would have made her a candidate anyway. When she arrived, once more it was a trip up to Director Fury's office, only this time a briefing. Steve Rogers had been found in the ice, alive. They were bringing him to the New York City facility, and she was being tasked for two roles - to be a nurse, and to be a familial link to ease him into the new time. Unfortunately, it was when the only other nurse was on shift when he woke up and escaped into the streets of Manhattan. That was when Fury had a different idea, and informed her that she was being retasked onto an undercover assignment.

For two months she built her cover, lamenting one keen fact: Fury had ordered her to stay undercover in her interactions with Rogers. She imagined several reasons for this, though some didn't make sense given his original plan had been for her to be his first face he saw in the new millenium and therefore know she was S.H.I.E.L.D. from the start. The biggest one, she figured came from his distrust of S.H.I.E.L.D. because of what happened around him when he woke up.

The plan she knew of, was that putting him in a fake hospital room done in the styling of the forties was to ease him with the familiar. What was her own plan with that, was to have clear signs of time having passed, one such being the shirt he wore - printed T-shirts didn't exist back then, and he'd know something was off. She was going to be in the room throughout her shift, reading a book, and actually had music released in the decade or so after the war playing. She wouldn't have even worn a uniform from the forties, but just her regular pink nurses scrubs. She'd have even made a quip first thing that was both joke and, with everything else she had intended, all joined to make him aware that there had been a large passage of time. With that, she was sure he would have only slowly freaked out, manageable, and that the first question out of his mouth would have been who she was - to which she would have definitely answered honestly, with her name and telling him that Peggy was family, and Peggy didn't tell him about her because she didn't even exist yet.

Instead, they'd kept a full front of "no time has passed", and unfortunately, chose details that put him into a paranoid state, he escaped, and ended up hit full-on with the sixty-six years. It was no wonder they'd had to send him to the retreat for two months, only returning to New York just before New Years. And it was there, in his Brooklyn apartment, that they finally met. And she had to pretend not to know who he was. She knew this was a big mistake, when the truth came out it could only make his distrust of S.H.I.E.L.D. even worse. But she was a good little agent, and followed the order.

And promptly found how difficult it was to interact with him for that first month.

During the two months of laying the ground work, she learned a lot, about Rogers, his family, her own, and of herself. She had become a nurse in addition to being a S.H.I.E.L.D. Specialist because she liked the idea of having a non-violent career she could fall back on, or even just use and practice when not on mission, something that her Mom encouraged, but she wasn't sure she could handle the stress of a full-time job in a hospital, rather than the work that would have been involved as a in-home carer, which she'd thought about as the fall-back job. In the field as a Specialist, the stress came in spurts, and overall, was not sustained for very long, unlike the hospital. It gave her a new appreciation for her fellow nurses. She had struggled at first, those first few weeks, during which she also had to deal with setting up a whole host of security protocols she was in charge of.

The plan was that with her job as a nurse for her cover job, she would live in the same apartment building as Steve Rogers, to provide close protection and surveillance. Both of Steve, and for any threats around. Moving in, she learned that technically, she owned the building. Well, her grandmother owned it, as she'd purchased the entire building piece by piece after the war, starting with Steve's apartment. Most of the other apartments had been rented out, but the other three on Steve's floor hadn't been. She also learned that the one she moved into, was once Bucky Barnes'. The two others, once bought, became the home to both her grandmother and Mom in the fifties, with the other going to Aunt Angie, who practically lived in the Carter Apartment anyway.

Between Christmas and New Years of 2011, Steve moved back in after about seventy years away, and she'd found herself floundering. She'd basically been his minder when he was asleep, but this wide-awake Steve Rogers was, not what she expected, aside from the time-shock, or whatever they were calling it that week. And she hadn't been ready for the sheer level of attraction she felt toward him. It _hadn't_ been there before, and she hadn't actually had a serious crush on anyone before. Not even the guy she took to high school prom, the one that her Mom and Fury had given the _shovel talk_ to. For the first week, she couldn't get more than three words out without stuttering. The first month, a full sentence. And she still blushed at every kind word. She _knew_ he had picked up on her attraction. But not all of their interactions were like that.

Each time she finished a long shift and got home while he was in, that was different. Not by much at first, he would see how tired she was and always was concerned at how she handled the long shifts, some thirty six hours long which he didn't agree with, but slowly, her own reaction to him faded in those specific interactions, like she was just too tired to react that way and had become comfortable enough with him for it to drop away, but not so much to spill over into her regular wide-awake psuedo-conversations.

After three months, it was actually a regular occurrence to spend the evenings after those day-plus shifts hanging out, either in his apartment or in hers. It wasn't like she left anything to blow her cover out - all of that gear was actually in her grandmothers' apartment. Her own apartment was her personal space, which she'd somehow come to trust Steve enough with that often he was using her better-equipped kitchen to make them dinner when she got home from those shifts, which they'd eat after she showered. They did talk a lot too, as difficult as that was at all other times. In general, they were friends, and she'd like to say they were close friends, if it wasn't for the 'U' word, Fury, and her damn feelings.

Feelings that resulted in her _**third**_ visit to the Triskelion. What she had to inform Fury about was both serious enough in a professional context, as well as embarrassing, and possibly humiliating, given he was ultimately, her boss, that this had to be done in person.

She knew Steve was fine on his own for the weekend, it wasn't like he was a country-boy who needed hand-holding in the city, it was his own turf he was on, and seventy years hadn't actually changed Brooklyn in the ways that mattered to him. He was getting ready for the day trip, since she'd explained that it was happening in long-island and he didn't actually have much stuff. She hadn't even lied about her own activities, though had kept vague enough that it was firmly in half-truth territory. She did have to go explain to her boss that she needed the weekend and the day after off for definite, and wouldn't take no for an answer. She did have to make other preparations, and even have have a trip out of New York to pick up a present. All of these things were true. He just didn't know that, her boss was Fury, the preparations was basically so she wouldn't be fired for breaking cover, or any number of other things, and she was going to be picking up a present anyway from Washington D.C., and those first two also take her there because Fury was in the Triskelion, and the one she needed to see so she wouldn't get fired.

Despite both of her previous visits being to Fury's office, she still got lost, and ended up not in the area for senior agents' offices, but in the administration wing, where all the red-tape was made. The only face that wasn't condescending, she wasn't sure was any better, since it was Melinda May's stoic face.

"Are you or are you not a Specialist?" Was all May said, before quickly writing down directions on a page from a notepad and handing it over.

Sharon didn't reply, too embarrassed to speak up with her best defence being that there weren't any directions posted _anywhere_. Of course she also knew that she should have gotten a guide, since her first visit started from the secure S.H.I.E.L.D. Garage level, her second from the small landing platform at the other side of the facility that had been built a decade ago for a dozen Quinjets, and this time, she had arrived via public transport, dropped off at the public entrance. She used May's directions, and found herself at the right elevator to get up to Fury's office.

Approaching the office, she paused only for a few seconds at the secretary's desk before waved directly in, a good sign that she was expected, she presumed.

"Agent Thirteen." He greeted simply, not looking up at her, focusing tightly on his paperwork. "Any particular reason you're not in New York right now?"

"Yes Sir. It's regarding, well... several topics all at once, sir. My Mom sends her regards."

A slight twitch at his lips was all she read in his body language. "Go on, Agent."

She took a bit of a breath, and began, "Several topics, like I said. There's my grandmothers birthday get together coming up, I was told to forward your invitation personally. My attending said get together. Your orders to me about not telling Steve whose, going, and oh yeah, that _gift_ of yours to grandmother. A Quinjet, really? Mom told me she wants words with you over that." She finished out in a rush, hoping her slipping in one particular point would be overlooked... maybe.

Fury paused once she finished, and looked up at her with a blank look in his eye. "I am Director of an International Espionage and Counter-Terrorism Paramilitary Agency that acts independently from any one country, Agent Thirteen."

She immediately thought of a perfect response to that. "So, not scared of her, then?" There was a glimmer of amusement in his eye, which she gave an innocent-looking smile at.

"It was both personal and professional. Having access to a Stealth Quinjet-" She blinked, as she had heard about the covert operations variant being developed, but hadn't known it was operational yet, Fury paused only slightly to smile a little and nod and continuing, "-with biometrics locked to herself, provides the former Director with a secure transportation platform that is both quicker, more fuel efficient and, _safer_ than... that car." His look shifted, and she read it clearer than everything else. Her own training for once not required to know what it was. The shift in expression also meant that his little mini-speech fell a little flat. She smirked at that, knowing what he'd meant by that too. He grimaced, and added, "Get that grin off your face. There's far too much of your Mother in here."

Cheekily, she replied, "Thought you weren't scared of her." She paused, seeing his look, and settled down, "Sir."

She knew that the number of people who could get away with backchat like that was a small one, and thanked her lucky stars that she was on that list, as he growled quietly for a moment. She decided to distract a little, since her Mom would have words anyway, and better to not end up stepping on toes in that regard, in case Fury ended up making her agree with him. He had a bad tendency to do that, hence her current problem.

"So, about the get-together. So far, only one has said they'll make it. _Please_ make it two." She spoke, not even attempting to subdue the subtle plea. "You know how much she cares about you," She added. "You didn't make the last one. I know, I know - we both blame Stark. And..."

She cut herself off, stopping herself from adding that she was worried about how many chances were left. Her grandmother was turning _ninety-one_. With the family history, she had been lucky to have reached seventy. Every day after was a blessing, never mind years and decades. They all joked about Peggy Carter being too stubborn, but everyone else from back then - with one keen specific exception that was exempt for _reasons_ \- was long gone by a decade.

And if that wasn't enough, Peggy Carter was the last remaining Founder of S.H.I.E.L.D., an organisation that was founded before Fury was even born, in the ashes of World War II.

The amusement long faded, Fury simply nodded and asked, "When and where?"

"Monday." She replied, then paused, "As for where, Mom's handling the details. Mostly. I'm handling invitations in S.H.I.E.L.D."

She thought there was a hint of panic in Fury's eye, a slight widening, a twitch of the lips. Or it could have just been light reflecting weirdly. Then his eye narrowed. "Who else said yes?"

The list of people who would be invited that still worked at S.H.I.E.L.D. was small. And they both knew that everyone on that list was otherwise engaged in something important. A detail she knew Fury would pick up on.

"That's the, other thing." His eye widened. "I... may have invited... Steve. I mean, Captain Rogers..."

He blinked, then looked at his paperwork as he thought it over. "He said yes?" Then he looked up, "He doesn't know it's for..." He paused, then muttered about how of course she hadn't told Steve otherwise he'd already have an irate captain complaining about S.H.I.E.L.D. spying on him.

"Well, yeah, he said... yes. I haven't..." She stuttered, remembering _how_ she asked and had been too shocked to actually tell him who aside from 'grand parent'.

Fury looked back at her, back to his 'director' look, professional. "You do realise, this will blow your cover." He made a small hand motion, "He'll see that it couldn't be a coincidence that his neighbour just happens to be Peggy Carters' great-grandniece."

"Granddaughter." Sharon corrected, turning and beginning to pace. Her irritation regarding certain orders now shone through. "And yes, I... I knew that going in. And, sir... I don't like lying to him."

"Really? It doesn't show." Fury commented without a hint of the sarcasm that his comment should have carried.

She shot him her most irritated glare over this issue yet, and they had talked several times on video calls to give periodic updates, so there had been many. "At least if he was to know _why_ I'm his neighbour... Or even that it was _me_ that was supposed to be there when he woke, and that _I_ wouldn't have faked 1940s _everything_..." She smirked a little as she stopped pacing, "He might even decide not to speak like he's super disappointed in you." Basically she just told him she would _blame everything on him_. Her own boss.

Then Fury wiped that smirk off her face with his own response. "I've been trying to get him out in the world, this sounds like as good a starting place as any..." There was a little twinkle, and, "I'm surprised he's not sought her out already, he's had the address since his first week at the Retreat."

"Wh... What? You mean I've been sat as his neighbour, struggling not to tell him everything... when he'd have known about us _six months ago_?!"

"Now, Agent Thirteen. I don't think I'd go that far." There was something off with his reply.

"Sir, there's family photographs _all over_ the house! I wouldn't even have had to be with him for him to know!" He held her stare, calmly, and she figured he was waiting for something else, and then figured it out. "You never expected my cover to last with him, did you? You expected him to have... or... for me to have broken cover to push him to it?"

She knew she'd hit the nail on the head, when he turned back to his paperwork. "I'm a busy man, with other meetings to get to, Agent Thirteen." She blinked at that, seeing that he tapped a few buttons on his computer, probably acknowledging someone was now waiting outside. "So if that is all, if you can send in Agent Romanoff when you leave."

Sharon paled, and contrary to all training at the Operations Academy, began to uncontrollably babble, "Oh... god please don't tell her, she's been driving my crazy about getting a date for ages, if she finds out I finally have one and-"

"What?" Fury interrupted, looking up at her. "Date? Steve Rogers asked you out on a _Date_?"

She felt her heart hiccup, realising he hadn't made _that_ leap, and the new revelation also made him forget the part where she told him that she was the one to ask. Or he hadn't computed her invite to him as the date in question. "Uh... No, I... I asked him. That's... that's why he's going with me..."

He sighed, and put a hand over his good eye. "Now that's just down right weird." He dropped the hand, and was about to say something else, but the look on hers stopped him.

She knew one of these days her heart would give out, from all the ups and downs every conversation in the last few days had taken. Weeks, even. Months. Since Steve Rogers was found in Greenland, actually. But maybe she was misjudging, but that look he had when he looked up, riled her up. It was very close to the look he had when she was getting ready to attend her high school prom, at fourteen. What it led to that time made her angry back then, and it did now, only now she was also a highly-trained specialist. Most of the time, anyway. "Excuse Me? I'm not fourteen anymore, godfather. Just because I've not dated since that time you and Mom took my prom date out to give him that Shovel Talk, which was _twelve years ago_ , Doesn't mean I'm not interested in a guy, and Steve's only one year and three months older than me, not the four years between Jason and I, which I remind you, he only went as my date because he was the only guy who would even give me the time of day, and was _not_ interested in getting into my pants! I was _Fourteen_! I'm not anymore!-"

"Enough, Agent Thirteen." Fury interrupted harshly, then sighed. "While you are correct," He gave her a look, letting her know that he referred only to one specific point, "Captain Rogers is only a year older than you, discounting his time in the ice." He blinked, "Which I believe you counted." She looked away a little, caught in that point, but still angry. "That was not why I said it was... Huh." He blinked. "She never told you."

"Hm?" She looked back, and saw he was for once, evading her, looking passed her, at a wall. "Who never told me what?"

"Of course she didn't." Fury muttered.

"Who?!"

"What did your Au- _grandmother_ , tell you about Captain Rogers?"

She froze, and was sure she felt a large pit suddenly form in her stomach, and refused to use her brain to extrapolate. "They worked together during the war, she was part of Project Rebirth, through to his final mission against Hydra." She wanted to ask, what was left out. She didn't dreading the answer.

Fury looked around the room, then at her and reluctantly revealed, "There was a mutual romantic interest between them."

She felt a hiccup. And oddly, a glimmer of hope. She realised that she'd presumed... something more than that. If anything had happened, he wouldn't have used the word _interest_. Maybe. Best get confirmation. "Please don't tell me that they..."

" _Interest_ , Sharon. As far as any of us are aware, nothing actually happened between them. And I'm almost positive Peggy wasn't holding back about that, with the way she sometimes spoke. If something had occurred between the two..." He paused, then added, "I don't think he'd have been so hesitant about getting in touch."

"You don't know that." She whispered, as she resumed her pacing. "Who, knew, about that, _interest,_ sir?"

She was sure her Mom would have. She was also sure that her Mom _didn't_ know who Sharon was neighbour to, but there were some who did. Some who she thought would be on the list.

"Your Mother, Most of the Howling Commandos' children, Howard Stark. I'm unaware of if he ever told Maria or Tony."

She sighed. "Oh good, that means-"

"And Agent Romanoff."

She strangled her interrupted words, back from the pale of shock to red angry. "She _knew_?"

Fury figured out what had her angry immediately. Romanoff was one of the few who knew about Sharon's Assignment, and the history he had with Peggy Carter. And those who were close to Romanoff knew how much of a matchmaker the former soviet assassin was. It didn't take a genius for Fury to immediately connect these facts.

"She's..."

"Been trying to set us up since the _start_."

His lips twitched.

"If _that is all_ , Agent Thirteen?" He waved her to the door, "Then send in Agent Romanoff on your way out." She nodded, angry and fully intent on conveniently not seeing the red-head. Fury spoke up as she passed through the doorway. "One last thing..."

She turned to look, "sir?"

"Good luck with your date."

The door closed on her red face - now not from anger, but embarrassment. She turned in place, already speaking to the secretary, "You didn't hear that did y-"

Sat on top of the desk, looking like she'd just been gossiping with the secretary, was one Agent Romanoff. Grinning at her in victory.

"I hate you."

"No you don't." Romanoff spoke as she stood and walked into the office, a happy pat on the shoulder as she passed by.

Sharon never felt so humiliated in her life, and took every ounce of will to make her legs move - to the elevator, not back in to the office to pound a smug Russian into fury's desk.

* * *

 **Jacquesville, Gardiners Island, Suffolk County**

To serve a grand total of two thousand residents spread across two square miles, Jacquesville was the commercial area of the island. Only a paltry fifth of a square mile, it was never-the-less home to all of the shops, from convenience stores, clothing boutiques to that place to get fishing tackle and DIY tools. It was also home to the chapel-of-any-faith, and to one of three community centres. The second was in Gabe Point, the other Falsworth Harbour. Since Skye's house was only around a thousand feet west of Jacquesville proper, it was therefore the logical place to hold the get-together, the not-quite-a-party.

With such a low population of the island, it was built more in a rural than urban style - and that included both Jacquesville, and Gabe Point. Everything was spread out, with lots of trees and grasslands.

It hid a secret. You wouldn't think it, but it had a massive underground facility beneath the island, the true Global Headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Skye had always known about it, since it was first made operational. At the time, she and her Mother, founder and Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Peggy Carter lived in Brooklyn, New York City, and it was around that time Skye was applying to join the United States Navy. Life as an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't appeal to her, she loved more to fly and wanted to be a pilot. While she was away in Basic Training, Peggy had moved to the new house built for her on 'S.H.I.E.L.D. Island' as most called it, though it was still officially named Gardiners Island.

Skye was pretty much the first and only United States Navy Officer with a S.H.I.E.L.D. Security Clearance high enough to even know about it, right up until the nineties.

If she had known that S.H.I.E.L.D. would gain Air and Naval Assets in the form of Aircraft Carriers and Carrier-borne Fighter Jets, she would have joined S.H.I.E.L.D. instead, but Peggy hadn't known her reasons, and even if she had, Skye wasn't sure that those sorts of assets were even planned for at that point. Unlike the land facilities, Aircraft Carriers required large crews and the personnel for the carrier air wings. Generally, that number hovered around five thousand. S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't the personnel to crew _one_ carrier when Skye joined the Military.

The surface village, sparse though it was, was barely enough for a quarter of the three-thousand strong permanent staff and their families. Many lived on Long Island, spread between Montauk and Hampton Bays, access made by a four-mile long tunnel from Napeague, through Cartwright Island, and then only surfacing near Jacquesville, a mile from the southern tip of the island. A further four miles of tunnel extended from before the end of the island access tunnel, with multiple links to the surface, providing vehicle access to the subterranean facility. Staff coming in from Long Island would drive a total of eight miles underground, and would only see the surface on returning to Long Island, or they could come up at Falsworth Harbour, and get two and a half miles before returning underground for the tunnel across Napeague Bay.

With just seven hundred, plus the thirteen hundred civilians, the surface wasn't a crowded place.

Skye also didn't know anyone, and knew Peggy didn't know many either. When Peggy stepped down from Directorship of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the early nineties, suddenly gaining plenty of spare time didn't mean she got to socialise much, since as the Director, all her neighbours either knew who she was as their former boss, or knew her as the former boss of their husband/wife/mother/fathers. There was a reason why when Peggy retired she didn't return to the house, beyond that she'd already transferred ownership to Skye. By then, Sharon was already in a boarding high school on Long Island. With Skye to teach her, she'd also learned how to pilot a boat, and on many a weekend, made the trip by water to the house, which as a large beach-front property, did actually have a small pier to tie off the boat, regardless of tide. Peggy didn't stay for the weekdays.

Instead, she'd moved back to Brooklyn. Until Eight months ago. Peggy had suffered a stroke. Minor, she recovered quickly, but it meant moving out of the Brooklyn Apartment, which didn't have a service elevator. She'd spent three months in a private medical facility funded by S.H.I.E.L.D., before being released, and that was when she'd somewhat moved back to the Island.

But as Skye was so busy with her work, she didn't know what her Mother got herself up to. But now she knew that she had a Quinjet - She was definitely going to have words with Fury over that, especially since it wasn't exactly a covert means of transport - she found herself curious what a ninety, soon to be ninety-one year old former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. got up to.

Skye dreaded to think, actually. She knew that Peggy Carter was actually on friendly speaking terms with many people that, for political reasons, were strongly looked down on by other governments, such as the head of state for Latveria, and various high-ranking officials in the Peoples Republic of China. Though in the case of the former, Skye only has herself to blame for that one. All Skye herself could think at the time was ' _What kind of name is 'Doom', and naming your kid, who already suffers that as their family name, Victor?_ ' Never mind that Skye only later learned the family name was _von Doom_ , not just Doom.

It was those aforementioned people that necessitated a few, changes, to her original plans, and lead to her hosting the get together, not only on S.H.I.E.L.D. Island (the people being invited knew it existed, both as a village and hosting a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility) but choosing Jacquesville as the venue.

As she left the venue, she sent a smile to one of the guests who was early, who didn't care about the 'lower class' standards of the Bed and Breakfast in Jacquesville, one of only a dozen on the island.

She joined him in walking to the park he was headed for. "Doctor Doom."

"Please, just Victor, Captain Rogers."

She nodded, "Skye, then."

He sent her a small smile. "Still don't like me, do you?" At her surprised look, he added, "I was surprised that you sent me an invitation, though the question of accepting one was never in doubt." She chuckled.

"I never disliked you, actually. When I was younger," She paused, wondering how to put it, "I was still immature. My, problem, with you, always stemmed from the strange relationship you had... well, have, with S.H.I.E.L.D."

Victor smiled. "Does Nicholas know of my attendance?"

She smirked, "Sharon's actually in Washington right now, so she'll be extending his invite personally." Her evasion was answer enough.

"Well... This should be fun."

"Yeah well, it is Mothers' Birthday. What do you get the former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D who already has all the material possessions she wishes to have?"

Victor laughed, "Right, World Peace." Looks from civilians were sent, but both ignored it. Victor's laughter reduced to chuckles, "That's a tall order with our history, you know. Some would say a Miracle."

Skye looked around, noting everyone was staring at the world-renowned head of state walking beside her, having caught their attention with the joke, now everyone was recognising the man. His, Issues, both with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury were legendary. Oddly, the United States Military had not one problem working along side him in the various incidents requiring it, even though it was the senate and the various presidents over the years who, like Fury, disliked the man.

"I've been known to work a few Miracles." She finally responded, ignoring the slowly gathering crowd. "But then, so have you."

He winced. "Heard about that?"

She gave him a flat look, sarcastically replying, "That you've yet to gain any grey hairs, and you're actually halfway in age between Mother and myself?"

He gave her a rueful look, "So in other words, 'Welcome to the Club'?"

"No." He raised a surprised eyebrow. "Would be yes, except that we never could agree on the secret handshake."

Once more, laughter erupted from them both, "Well, I look forward to seeing his face when he learns I'm in attendance."

"Me too. Serves him right for giving Mother a Quinjet without telling me."

"Really, and your wife did not inform you?"

Skye rolled her eyes, "I haven't even spoken to Talia yet. Last I heard she was still on mission."

"Ah, yes the Volkonoff operation." He gave her an odd look. "Well, here's hoping that Mrs Rogers has completed her mission by now so she may join us in celebration."

She rolled her eyes, "First, I'm not even going to ask how you know details of any S.H.I.E.L.D. operation. Second... She's not, Mrs Rogers, and technically, neither am I. It's just my name with the Military. It's not my Legal name. You know that."

He smiled in amusement. "Of course, Mrs Carter. Forgive me for forgetting the circumstances surrounding the events leading up to your recruitment into the United States Navy." He took a seat on a park bench at that point, and Skye looked at her phone, knowing this was were they parted ways. "It was _Mrs Carter_ was it not who suggested the Bet?" She narrowed eyes, "I believe it came up in conversation with Nicholas, that time they were both my prisoners during the nineties. It was actually when I learned of your name with the Military, in fact." He mockingly faked just remembering it.

She shoved him a little with a foot, even as she smiled in remembrance. That was one bet that turned out to be worth it. "Ass." The mention of the imprisoning of her wife and friend was ignored, since they both knew it was merely a show of force and message to S.H.I.E.L.D. to cease covert operations in Latveria. It had happened not long before Peggy retired, and required her to go and get the pair out.

Only Skye knew that Peggy's final choice of Nick Fury to succeed her as Director was thanks to Victor von Doom, for the exact same reasons why the two did _not_ get along, quite the strange dichotomy. Fury was not cowed by Victor, while the other candidates were. Victor _liked_ that, since it also meant that other heads of state (whom Victor made no secret to disliking strongly) that were just as strong-willed would not cow Fury into doing anything. Peggy couldn't help agree, even though both of them saw the irony.

Victor also liked to tweak Fury's nose a fair bit. As well as others' noses, even those who were friendly with him.

"Oh, before you go..." Victor added, "I have been hearing rumors of Captain America returning to Brooklyn, alive and well."

That, surprised her. Victor wouldn't mention something like that unless he knew it was true or false. "If he has, I've heard nothing. Why?"

"Well, it's just that I understand you grew up down the hall from the apartment that he used to occupy, if he returned, it stands to reason that he is once more living there."

Skye blinked. Sharon lived next door to th- Then her jaw dropped as it hit.

"Oh... Sharon." She muttered, hand moving quickly over her mouth as she began to chuckle, then belly-laugh.

Victor stood up with a, victorious smile and waltzed off, most likely to drop in on Peggy at the house.

Skye took his place on the bench, and wrapped her arms around her stomach as everything else pilled on top.

When she was adopted by Peggy, Skye gained her surname. She was, legally, Skye Carter. When she joined the military, she did so under an alias - made legal through S.H.I.E.L.D. without changing her name in law to it - Stephanie Rogers. As in the female form of Stephen. And because her actual legal name was still Skye Carter, when she and Talia married, Talia, for her legal name, took the Carter name, though still went by her own name within S.H.I.E.L.D. like Skye used the Stephanie Rogers name in the Navy. If she had had to make the Rogers name her legal one, instead of a lawful alias, Talia would be a Rogers. And when they adopted Sharon, that would have meant she'd be Sharon Rogers, instead of simply retaining the Carter name.

The irony did not escape her. Sharon, who could have ended up with the maiden name Rogers, whose mom had her professional name as a feminine form, and her grandmother who worked with, was practically in love with Steven Rogers.

That was when her cellphone rang.

Seeing it was her wife, Skye couldn't help the grin, as she answered. "Hey Talia, you won't believe what I just found out."

"Sharon asked Steve on a date?"

She blinked. "Awe, you know alr... wait, you _know already_?" Silence. "What the hell, Talia! This is big news! This is my name-sake, and... you've been trying to matchmake the two for the last who knows how long he's been back and she wouldn't tell you anyway so how do you know they're dating?!"

"Well, I just got back from my mission to Russia,"

"The Volkonoff operation, right." She rolled her eyes as she looked in the direction Victor had disappeared, and couldn't help mentally picture him and his smug face. "Go on."

"So, I report to the Triskelion, and in the elevator ride up, Sharon gets in, not even noticing me, and so, I have to find out what's going on... so follow her to Fury's office, where I hear, well... everything. Poor thing was so red I thought someone switched her out for a plum tomato."

"Talia." Skye growled.

"And then she walks out, realises I've heard enough and, well, here I am now, just out from the briefing. And sorry for not telling you, but I assumed you would have already known. Something I need to have words with Fury about, right now, actually. Although, in my defence, with the way our work is and that he's only been back about, actually, for exactly six months today, or tomorrow, depending how you-"

"Talia."

"We don't get to talk much, and only for a few minutes, how could I, if I didn't think you knew yet?"

"Easy. 'Hey Honey, Steve Rogers is alive and well living in his old Apartment.' There."

Skye heard the sigh. "Fine. Anyway, what's this about a Quinjet? I only actually heard every one in five words, but I heard something about Mother and a Quinjet?"

"I've got a big bone to pick with Fury is what." Skye commented with a sigh. "You've not got a mission tomorrow, have you? It's been almost a year, I miss you, Mother misses you, and a friend is visiting to give Fury a coronary, and Peggy's birthday get-together is on monday. Hardly anyone from S.H.I.E.L.D. is even coming, and Sharon's not called me yet about Fury's invitation."

"Red as she was, not surprised. No, no mission so I'll be there. And who's the friend?"

"Vicky."

"Oh god, I'll get the camera." Talia laughed from the other end.

"Don't worry, the town security cameras will catch it all, from multiple angles and there's no way I'm letting S.H.I.E.L.D. hoard the footage. Since you're at the Triskelion, could you pop by Melinda's desk and _try_ to convince her to come? She's the only agent aside from Fury, Maria and yourself who's stateside, and she's Peggy's first protege, they've not seen each other since before..."

"Bahrain, yeah. I'll head on over. I think Sharon already tried though, that was the floor she got onto the elevator from."

"She tried once already, but one more from you couldn't hurt. And tell her, if she tells _you_ no, then I'll head down there to invite her, I won't take no for an answer and if I do have to do that, I won't be happy."

The smile could be heard as Talia joked, "Oh no, the Patented Disappointed Stephanie Rogers Look, whatever shall she do to avoid it?"

"Hopefully, she'll say yes before I have to pull out the big guns."

"Right. I'll text you with her answer, right after I tell Barton to get his ass over there too. I don't care what he's guarding in Nevada, he can come visit his partner on the rare day she gets to stop pretending."

Skye quirked her mouth a bit in amusement. "Your inner assassin is showing."

"Of course it is, he brings out the worst in me. Why I let Fury partner me with him so often, I don't know."

"Pull the other one. He's one of the few S.H.I.E.L.D. field operatives that you do actually get along with. If I weren't so sure you're madly in love with me, I'd be jealous."

"And if you weren't so against guys, I'd have inv-"

"Lalalalala!" Skye interrupted.

"Kidding. Talk soon."

Skye sighed, and murmured, "Love you."

"Love is for Children."

"Talia."

"... Love you."

Skye smiled as the call ended, and looked up around the park. The previous watchers from her conversation with Victor had dispersed, thankfully.

She stood and returned home, passing Victor as he left from the side of the house, indicating he'd come from the bay-facing back veranda.

"Hey Mother." She greeted, seeing Peggy sat on a rocking chair looking out into the bay.

"Skye. You look happy, what's up?"

"Nothing, just... arranged for some presents is all. I think you'll be happy with them... even with, well. You'll understand."

"Of course. Victor just left."

"I saw. What have you to old biddies been gossiping about now?" Skye asked, wondering if Victor would have shared the 'rumor'.

"Oh, just reminiscing about old times. Did I ever tell you the story about how Steve and I rescued Victor and his family during the war?" She blinked. The story of how Victor met Peggy hadn't been told before, and wondered if Victor _had_ said something to prompt this share.

"No, you always told me 'another time'."

"Well, It was 1944, and contrary to what S.H.I.E.L.D. and the SSR would have you believe, less than half the operations were against HYDRA. It was one of those other operations, the mission to liberate a POW camp in Latveria. Howard, naturally, was all bluster about the damage his poor plane would take on the flight, never mind that he enjoyed it far more than he ever told. Steve had the _bright idea_ of landing the plane at the von Doom estates' own private runway, but since it was _Steve's idea_ , naturally, that was the one time the German army had managed to not only breach the walls, but _completely_ take over the castle, taking the family prisoner. So of course, to get around this new set-back, Steve and Bucky came up with an even more _brilliant_ plan."

The sarcasm was heavy, and Skye smiled as she listened to the story.

* * *

 **Authors note:** Yes, in this the Fantastic Four characters exist, though Victor is the only one who'll feature. (Susan pops up in a related one-shot set when she's still a college student and intern for him.) I am not going to explore it.


	3. Meeting a Hero

**Authors Note:** Originally posted to Archive of Our Own.

 **Chapter Summary:** Skye meets her namesake. Talia returns home.

* * *

 **Steve Rogers'/Peggy Carter's/Sharon Carter's Apartment Building, Brooklyn, New York City - April 8th, 2012**

She hadn't made the trip into New York City much since making Lieutenant Commander, but when she did, it usually wasn't to the old apartment where she grew up. The last two times had actually been when her senior officers needed someone to be the Navy's Liaison to Stark Industries, as the Naval Division was actually based out of Stark Tower in Manhattan.

The apartment building where she grew up, where she had most of those secret rendezvous, was an old one that had seen little change since the first world war. Once built as a five-story garden apartment building, with shops on the first floor, and two street-facing two-bedroom apartments and three one-bedroom apartments overlooking the alley and adjacent building to each of the four upper floors, there hadn't been much room in the building when a further three floors were added with four two-bedroom apartments each, and the elevator to serve those extra three floors only actually started on the new sixth floor, as there was no lobby space through all five existing for it. It was for this reason that those two-bedroom apartments were so cheap, in line with the one-bedroom apartments on the fifth.

Steve, before he was given the super-soldier serum, rented out the north-west corner two bedroom apartment on the sixth floor, at the time being the only space available. Worse still, the rent was cheaper than normal, because the elevator had in fact stopped working, and the building owner was not what one would call, maintenance-conscious. So cheap, in fact, that Steve could actually afford the place, so naturally when the north-east corner apartment became free, Bucky moved into that one for the same price. The workout from ascending those stairs taught Steve a lot about breath control.

After the second war, with both of them declared MIA, Peggy held such hope that they weren't dead, just... lost, sought to ensure that those apartments would remain theirs, eventually purchasing the building and moving into the south-east corner apartment herself, where she then raised Skye. The south-west apartment was taken by Angie Martinelli, Peggy's best friend and Skye's godmother.

By the mid-seventies, both were gone, and no one inhabited the apartments on the fifth floor or above. It was perfect for privacy. To spend time with her girlfriend, then her wife in that apartment. The Carter one, not Steve, Bucky or Angie's. The first few days of her honeymoon were spent there. A long with many secret rendezvous.

It had been four years since she last came to Brooklyn, just before Talia spent the better part of two years undercover. Skye trusted Talia to know when a cover would keep her away for long, so when she had indicated so, they arranged for a secret rendezvous, just one of many they'd had over their long marriage.

As Skye ascended the flight between the fifth and sixth, she smiled in remembrance of those times they hadn't even made it to the apartment. Given the extension that had been built, the flight up to the sixth was enclosed in walls, since it had once been the roof access. It acted then to isolate the upper floors, and those walls, and the floors were pretty well sound-proofed. The door to the stairs on the fifth was even put back in place before she was a child, under lock and key. She knew her old key was probably in a drawer somewhere back in the house on Gardiners Island, even though the lock had been replaced by a digital encrypted swipe-card system in the nineties. She had tried her best to hide the actual reasons why she wanted a copy when she had asked her Mother, but was still sure Peggy knew exactly why, given the half-disgusted and half-smug look sent at the both of them.

In the lobby area, she scanned the familiar doors. At her seven o'clock, behind her on the left, the door to what used to be Bucky Barnes' apartment, but now was Sharon's north-east corner two bedroom apartment. On her nine o'clock, the small utility closet door for the eastern apartments. On her ten o'clock, the door to her childhood home. In front of her, the large utility room, that housed the boiler tank that served all four apartments hot water. On her two, to the right, the door to what had been Angie's apartment, left abandoned for years before Angie's death, when they then found that it actually had been willed to her and Talia.

Skye remembered Angie very fondly, and knew that Peggy's apartment was more Angie's home, than than Angie's apartment was. Skye knew that they were close, very close, and that many people actually mistook them for a lesbian couple. It was embarrassing, especially when, early in her own relationship with Talia, her girlfriend would imply that maybe Skye inherited her orientation. The fact that she remembered a lot of mornings that, after getting ready for school and yet not hearing the apartment door open, she'd enter the kitchen and see Angie sat at the table, looking like she'd just crawled out of bed. When she was a young girl, she'd simply thought in childish terms, that they'd had a slumber party without the party and all slumber. After her relationship with Talia got serious, she never saw that tired look - in both Peggy and Angies' eyes - the same way. And she was never brave enough to even ask if that was true, out of embarrassment value - she'd be a hypocrite if she let her mothers' orientation actually affect her badly.

She honestly couldn't think of a single time that Angie even spent a night in her own apartment, which was why when they inherited it, it didn't feel weird at all to make it their own secret place.

Her gaze flicked past the other small utility door to the door directly opposite Sharon's.

Steve Rogers apartment.

She hesitated, a hand on the large backpack she wore on one shoulder, as well as a blanket-covered item attached to that. She was about to meet the man from her childhood stories. The man she actually chose to dress as for _oh so many halloweens_ , the man whose name she based her professional one from, and even more, whose shield she owned.

She had been rather immature when she joined the Navy, intent on actually becoming "Captain America", and didn't know how much further she needed to go before getting the rank legitimately. By the time she did, she was too professional, and knew it would cause too many questions - and, her immature side knew, outrage from the army - to go ahead and reveal the shield. And that had nothing to do with her gender nor sexual orientation. The inter-force rivalry was enough. Then there was something that had already begun getting many whispers - her youthful appearance.

They didn't need to know that it was a side-effect from the time she was kidnapped by foreign agents intent on turning her into a sleeper agent in August of 1962, and one of the biggest reasons doing so was a mistake is that they were actually unaware of her connection to an agency they'd heard little about. Afterward, the kidnapping was the reason she'd even considered having an alternate professional name - and many years later, hinted to Sharon that she should do the same.

Though that would have fit a 'patriotic' narrative of her own ascent to becoming a female 'Captain America', a fact she _had_ considered when she took the name, even though the final decision to go through with that choice had been the result of a bet, a dare, and a major diplomatic incident merely three years later in 1965 involving another highly-classified secret soviet program that the First Secretary of the CPSU, among many others, hadn't known about. The circumstances were complex, much classified and given how politics kept shifting, Skye had eventually dismissed that dream.

There were still days, far apart as they were, that she reconsidered it.

Now, she wasn't going to. She walked the remaining distance, and knocked.

Steve answered, looking surprised. "Hello."

Skye waved a little, "Hello. I'm... Sharon's Mom." Steve blinked, then gave her a hard stare. He didn't believe her. "I can understand why you don't think so, but Sharons biological parents died when she was a week old, and her own great-grand aunt had adopted _me_ when I was a baby, and honestly that choice had not really been a choice at all, there was no chance I wasn't going to take her in. That explains the, ethnicity difference." She shifted a bit, "The fact I don't look old enough to be her Mom however... that's... a whole other kettle of fish. And I'd like to not tell you here, in the lobby, so..."

He waved her in, and Skye gave him a soft hesitant smile as she entered. It, looked rather similar to her childhood home, which made sense, being both in the same building and in opposing corners. The biggest difference being the shape of the west and east walls, really - given that there was a small inset gap for part of the east exterior wall, while the west exterior was a flush wall running the length of the building, the four by four layout couldn't be mirrored on both axis. The east apartments were actually a touch longer north to south, since there was also the space between the west-side apartments. These various bits meant that the various rooms of what was actually a rather large apartment were different east to west, even though they were mirror images on the north to south - Sharon's would be a different size, while her and Talia's would be a mirror image.

And now she was thinking of those times.

She almost gulped on entering the lounge that Steve led her to - idly noting that unlike her own, it was the end room of the apartment with windows facing both north and west, with the door that led to his apartments small balcony open letting both a breeze and the noise of the city enter. He waved her to the couch, and she sighed, glad that yet another difference from her own apartment, it was a different design - stronger, sturdier, which made sense. Then those two words hit her properly, and she understood why Sharon found it so difficult to speak around him when she wasn't tired.

"Would you like a drink? Cup of coffee, a soda?"

"Uh, Tea, yorkshire, if you... I, I m-mean sure, whatever you-" He smiled a little as he moved into the kitchen, the look silencing her, and she got it. That look said it all. _Now_ he believed her, because she'd gone into a stuttering meltdown. While he was making her a drink, she took her backpack off and sat it against the window, straps hidden and the attached package poking out.

Then she took a longer look around the room, and saw it. Big and Red and Blue and showing signs of battle. She strode over, wondering why he'd get a replica, complete with battle smudges (since although the real thing was indestructable it could still get dirty) and because she wondered how close it actually weighed and wasn't thinking, she picked it up and holy shit!

"You know, I'm glad that the guys who dug me out found it, it's a one of a kind, you know?"

 _No it wasn't._

"Yes, it is. Made of a Vibranium alloy-"

 _Oh, I said that out loud?_ She thought.

"That too."

Skye blinked, and set it back in the cradle, a guitar cradle, repurposed for it, and she spoke, "This is impossible."

Steve looked at her funny, but the whistle of a kettle got his attention. She swallowed, and while he was making her a drink - probably just a coffee - went to the package she'd brought. She kept it in the blanket, though she untied it ready to show off.

He returned, and set a cup down on a side table. She was glad he didn't have a coffee table, since it gave a good amount of open floor space, and guessed that he used the free area for stationary exercises. The color indicated both that it was tea, and the sweeter smell told her he'd made it how she liked. She'd taken an ungodly-sized gulp before she realised it.

"Now I believe you two are related _by adoption_ , whichever way it actually is. Don't quite believe you're her Mother, though."

She set her cup down, or as her Mother would say, 'cuppa'. "It's a long story, but short of that is, when I was little, not even a teenager, I was kidnapped, some bad guys wanted to turn me into a sleeper agent, and the program was all about kidnapping actual American kids to do it, though I was on the older-end. I escaped, well, someone helped me to escape, but I was badly hurt and to save me, I was given a _serum_. It healed me, quick too. The anti-aging effect only kicked in once I'd finished puberty though. There's a lot more to the story, but that's the relevant part."

He nodded. "Alright. So how old are you, forty-five, fifty?"

She flushed. "Actually, I'm sixty. My official date of birth is in 1951, though we never knew my real _day_ of birth, so we picked one. My mother said I looked like a new born when I was mysteriously deposited on her doorstep, nothing but a blanket and laid in this," she tapped the package, "without any of the building security seeing a thing." Skye waved to the apartment entrance. "I actually grew up in the apartment across the hall, on the opposing corner from this one. And the door to downstairs was _locked_ and only a small number of people, other than my Mother and her best friend had a key. Big mystery. And, like I said, I looked like a new born, and since it was the morning of a certain _big american holiday_..." She sent a glance at the shield resting in the guitar stand.

"You share my birthday." He finished, smiling a little. "Kind of explains Sharon's nerves, now. Let me guess, you both grew up with stories about me?"

Skye nodded, "Sharon, not so much, actually. But I did. What has she told you about me?"

"Nothing much." He paused, "You're married, to a... you're a... you know." Skye blinked as _The Captain America_ blushed unable to say the word 'Lesbian'.

"You can say it, _I'm a lesbian and I got married to a woman_."

He chuckled quietly, "Sorry, back then just because Brooklyn was the capital of the state for the, what do you call it now, 'LGBT' crowd? Didn't mean people felt comfortable talking about it. Some of the folks I grew up with didn't, even though they weren't afraid to show what they were."

"Right. Anything else, like my job?"

He nodded, "Sharon didn't really use names, just 'Mom' and 'Mother', but given how you introduced yourself, I'm guessing you're the 'Mom' whose a pilot and commands a ship in the Navy, and your wife is the one she avoids talking about?... And forgive me, but you've not even introduced properly." He smiled, and extended a hand. "Steve Rogers."

She laughed a little, and replied, "Well, I have two names. My legal name, and an alias that I - very much _legally_ used when I joined up. _In honor of a certain person_ ," she smiled, waving at the shield in the guitar stand again, "I joined up as Stephanie Rogers. Being the Navy and not the army, _no one_ made the connection though, so no suddenly being called 'Captain America'. Not even when I got the promotion."

He smiled, and mock-saluted, "What did you expect, becoming a Squid, Sir, or do you prefer Ma'am?"

She returned it, "Careful, Brown Round. The Title was only a small part when I joined up. And I chose Navy because I like both flying and the ocean."

He smiled sadly, "Would have come in handy..."

"True. Anyway. That's my _Professional_ name. But my legal, personal name... that's the can of worms..." She looked away, again at the shield, and when she looked back, saw Steve smirking. "It will both explain some things... and, well... don't be mad at Sharon, okay?" He frowned, but before he could respond, she continued, "She wanted to tell you from the start, but didn't because, she had orders," the frown deepened, "Though I think _Fury_ might have underestimated her respect for the chain of command when he did that, as he thought she'd have broke and told you the truth before your first week back. And I don't just mean, the truth that she was sent here to basically help you transition into the modern world, and keep an eye if you... falter, and protect you in, _oh so many_ ways."

"She's a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent."

Skye nodded. "You'd have known immediately, from her last name alone. You see, my growing up in this building and then my own daughter joining S.H.I.E.L.D. is not some big coincidence. After you went down, my Mother and Sharons', by-adoption, grandmother, _bought the building_ so your old landlord couldn't just, rent this out. She never believed you'd died when the Vallkyrie went down, and wanted you to be able to return home, even if everything else around it was different when you did, you'd have this." And it was true, even four months later and a lot of new things, it still looked like it was from the forties. "My Mother did this, because of how important you were to her, _personally_."

"Peggy."

She knew that he'd gotten that from every angle, not just the one she led him towards, but the other one - why she was here now, because of what was happening tomorrow. Of course he did, he knew Peggy's date of birth, and had probably already thought about it before even being asked.

"Hence the knowing from her last name, yeah. So, proper introduction. Hello, I'm Skye Carter, Peggy's Daughter. Also known as _Stephanie Rogers_ , her serum-enhanced daughter..."

She grasped the package from within the blanket, and continued, "And part of the reasons I reacted like I did," she send a more obvious glance at the guitar stand, "is because of this." With that, she stood up, the blanket fell away, revealing that the package was _Captain America's Shield_. But it couldn't be, since the shield she'd seen sat in the guitar stand and touched and put _back_ , was still sat in its stand.

"Nice Replica."

She held it over to him in silence, and amused, he took it... then his own amusement faded as he looked at it in surprise.

She noticed something as well, and hoped he had too. "Battle scars." ;He nodded, confirming he'd noticed as well. Vibranium was practically indestructable, but the _paint_ wasn't. Both the shield he'd had in the apartment for months, and the one he now held, both had the same 'battle scars'.

His frown deepened. "This is impossible."

A thought. Then a joke came to mind, and before she could hold back, blurted it out. "That's what she said." Evidently, that was a joke older than _Captain America_ given the look he sent her. "Well, 'She' being Me, and I _did_ say it."

"Definitely Sharon's Mom." Was all he replied with, as he deftly turned it over, and then seeing the straps, frowned again, and she watched curious as he started to open them up, and then, _removed_ them from the shield...

"What are you-"

"This is the same shield." He spoke flat.

"That's what I was-"

"No. The Same. It's not a duplicate or replica." He looked up. "You said you've had it since the day you were dropped off, _here_ as a baby?" She nodded. He was silent, and handed over the shield, and as she took hold, he tapped next to what he'd seen. It's why she thought this was the original, it's why _Peggy_ thought it was the real thing. And even though nothing had been said in those stories about him loosing this one and getting another, when she'd seen it, until she'd actually removed the blanket and had both shields' in her view, that was what she'd assumed, though had felt it wrong. A note, _'Tested by Peggy Carter, November 6th 1943'_.

It wasn't written, it was scratched into the non-vibranium plate that the leather had been strapped to. She looked up, idly noting that the strap he'd removed was were she'd been sat, and he was removing one from his shield, and without looking, showed her that it held an identical note.

"So... Maybe whichever is the copy, whoever made it had yours long enough to take photos and make it accurate?" Skye guessed, knowing it was wrong.

"No one knew about that, not Howard, and not Peggy. After Howard modified the shield with the star and stripes, while on the front, that's when I did it, a reminder to... anyway, _no one_ know I'd done it. It didn't leave my possession long enough for what you're suggesting."

Calmly, both of of them replaced the removed strap, and finished, Skye smiled hesitantly as she put her arm through one and held it with the other. "So, what now?"

Steve copied her, "I don't know, and I don't have any idea how this is possible..." Then he noticed the casual-but-ready stance Skye was unconsciously holding, and matched it, "You can hold it, but can you throw it?"

She smirked. "I was too scared to try with this first, but yes."

Steve smiled, "You, know anywhere private?" She looked around, "Don't want to break anything." He answered.

She returned her gaze to him, "Yes I do. My serum versus yours? Army versus Navy,-"

"Ground Pounder against the Flying Squid?" Steve returned. Inwardly, Skye thought Sharon was going to kill her. Parents aren't supposed to like their kids' boyfriends. Skye said not a word about that after that thought entered her mind, just smiled inwardly.

"You're on. Tomorrow, though. I know just the place down the road from my house." She blinked, then added, "Speaking of tomorrow..."

* * *

 **Skye Carter's House, Gardiners Island, Suffolk County**

Natalia Carter, Aka Natasha Romanoff, but referred to by her family as 'Talia' greeted her mother-in-law with a smile, "Hey Mama, looking forward to tomorrow?"

"Of course, though the look on your face tells me I should be prepared for explosions." Talia made a shocked-innocence face, "First Victor, then Skye, and now you." Peggy's eyes narrowed. "Something suspicious is going on and I'm going to find out what it is."

Natalia tried to act innocent, but then her cell phone gave off her received message tone, and reading it, dropped the look. "Okay, I was going to wait until tomorrow, I've been outvoted." She took a breath, knowing Peggy wouldn't be happy with her for keeping this a secret - nor with Sharon, though Sharon at least had orders she could 'hide' behind, Natalia herself hadn't supposed to have known and Skye just found out. "Can you... sit down, first?" Peggy smoothly sat down on her favourite rocking chair of the veranda. "They found Steve."

Peggy didn't react for a moment. A few seconds, a slow widening of the eyes from the suspicious look to relaxed, then... not surprise? Amused? Then the kicker. "I know."

"... Since when?"

Peggy just smirked, and looked off into the distance.

"Right. You knew all along. Who told you? Fury said you didn't know."

Peggy chuckled, "Fury keeps forgetting that he _wasn't_ my protege, and I wasn't his mentor nor his _supervising officer_ during his training."

"Melinda."

"Mellie." Peggy agreed, using the nickname only Melinda May's parents and herself could use. "Also, I may be retired, but I still have full security clearance access." She looked at Talia, and added, "What about you?"

"Crashed at my apartment after a mission. Rogers was there." Talia waited. After a minute, she sighed. "The other rogers, not my wife."

"Saw that joke coming a mile off. You need better material. And maybe a humor transplant."

"Skye would have found it funny." She moped, very much not acting her age.

"Skye is _hopelessly_ in love with you _and your sense of humor_. I'm just glad that Sharon's own is perfectly normal... despite both of your best efforts."

Talia couldn't disagree. And she should have known that her confession wouldn't blindside the former Director. "I'd already heard on the grapevine that Sharon had been assigned to a weird protection detail that let her play doctor at a hospital on a full-time basis. I was going to drop in and tease her about being my new neighbour, but my information on her shifts was wrong. _Steve_ was kind enough to tell me my 'friend' was still on shift for another eighteen hours, thank god I didn't go into nursing, but other than that we didn't even talk much. Later on I spoke to Sharon and..." Talia paused, "Don't freak out-"

"You started to play matchmaker? I've told all three of you, I'm not an invalid, I'm a former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. My feelings for Steve have long faded, so no need to worry on that front. And more, I heard some rumors about Sharon having a crush, as well as about her Mama trying to play matchmaker. And even if I hadn't known before, I knew the moment Skye told me Sharon _was_ bringing a plus-one. And that he was her neighbour."

"I guess there was good reason you became the Director then, and retained the position for decades."

"And even if I hadn't used any of my access to keep an eye on my _granddaughter_ and the various assignments given to her, and my rookies didn't keep me in touch with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s pulse, I would have learned from Victor, just yesterday."

Talia frowned, "Victor?" She tried to think of which victors she knew of, that her Mama knew... No. "Victor von Doom? He's here?"

"He was invited for my birthday party, as he has been every year." Peggy pointed out.

"He's not attended the last few though."

"Neither did Fury, yet I have it on good authority he'll be in attendance as well."

Natasha blinked. "... Fury. And Doom. Here. On S.H.I.E.L.D. Island." Peggy rolled her eyes at the dramatics, or maybe just the island's nickname. "In the same room. With Two 'Captain Rogers'." Natasha backed away a little, "Is it too late to change my mind about attending?"

"Yes. I rather think it would be fun, actually. All my boys in the same room for once." Peggy smiled innocently.

* * *

 **Authors note:** Reminder: in this fic, the Triskelion isn't the actual headquarters, nor, what we see. (The tower? just that tower and small attached square building, and actually in the middle of the island, NORTH of the bridge, where the island-ends of the helicarrier bays are in canon. there are no helicarrier bays in the potomac. That's just stupid.


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note:** Originally posted to Archive of Our Own.

 **Chapter Summary:** Steve arrives on Gardiners Island, Skye deals with the venue and struggles to resist her wife.

* * *

 **Sawyer's Cafe, Jacquesville, Gardiners Island, Suffolk County - April 9th, 2012**

He had to admit that it was a nice place. Hell of a trip though, several miles of tunnels did not do his ears any good... or, wouldn't have, if the serum hadn't solved that problem at the same time that it made it worse. The reverb from his motorbike definitely upset a few people that he passed though. Sharon appreciated it, since the helmet dampened the harsh effect plenty. Hence why it would have been a problem - he only had the one helmet. He wasn't afraid to admit that he _really_ liked the way she held on for the entire ride, and also for how her car had "mysteriously broken down". He knew what that really was, given the blush she wore when she pulled that trick.

If they hadn't taken his bike, he would have gone with her in her car though, so there actually _was_ a chance that it really did break down. Though they wouldn't have sat _this_ close. Not that he was fussed about that. In the late evening last night, when she'd told him about the car, he'd been worried for how cold it could get for her, and she just smiled at his concern. His jaw nearly dropped that morning when she came out, wearing tight pants, and a fleece-lined leather jacket, scarf already on and a backpack slung over a shoulder.

He was glad that she sat behind him, for more than one reason. If it had been her bike, he'd have insisted driving.

He wasn't familiar with the route, so Sharon had shown him how to use his cell phone as a navigation device, and it was only once on the road, that he'd reminded her she'd already shown him how to work google maps. Seeing her blush in a wing mirror was worth the slap on the head. The hundred and fifteen-mile journey would have taken them three hours with only light traffic and obeying the speed limits, but given when they needed to get there, Sharon agreed with him on setting off early, both to beat much of the traffic and give them extra time, instead of heading straight to the venue. It actually taken two hours to get to Shirley, were they stopped at a rest stop. Sharon tried to hide it, but he'd caught that she hadn't realised what it would feel like on a bike after that long, and guessed that she'd only had short trips before.

When they reached Southampton, he'd detoured. He'd been there before, and with the time, wanted to see a proper sunrise. Sharon was practically glowing when they left the ocean-front beach, and mumbled that it was a perfect first date, and kissed the back of his neck as he pulled back out onto the highway. He had actually decided to do that in part as a date, because of something her Mom had said the day before, and he realised that people might have found it weird that his first date with her was to her own grandmothers' birthday 'not a party' get-together. Though he agreed that under other circumstances he would find it weird, he didn't, not really. It was different things, like the age difference, that he had to 'deal with'.

Meeting Sharon's Mom did _not_ help, though that wasn't because he was attracted to her. He wasn't, and he was fully sure of himself in that regard - he thought that she was beautiful, yes, but he'd never been the type to be attracted _to_ people because of their looks. Lord knows Bucky suffered through double-dates because of that. Steve always managed to get along better with those he privately thought weren't as pretty as Bucky's dates, or on the odd occassion, when Bucky managed to score him a _hot_ date. Several of them were not unintelligent, but the general upbringing of many of the women meant that they hid that intelligence. And being smart wasn't the only factor, either. There was just something about women like Skye that he knew he _could_ be attracted to them, but he wasn't.

Peggy was, close, to that. She was beautiful, smart, and held a wicked sense of humor when pushed. But though he was attracted to her somewhat, if he'd actually held serious interest, it wouldn't have gone past flirting. If he'd never had the time spent in the company of the USO tour girls who were practically his only friends for several months, he wouldn't even have felt comfortable going that far without that interest, and he knew that out of experience. Several of those girls had a crush on him, and dealt with it simply by acting on it a little, before moving on. He'd been kissed before, he wasn't even a virgin, though that didn't involve any of the tour girls. He wasn't _starting from scratch_ , and knew when a woman was interested. He'd flirted back, because he felt that he held the same level of interest in turn. And then he spent a year in Europe, going were he and the 107th was needed. Peggy was around for quite a lot, but still less than half. His interest faded from attraction, and settled quite firmly on friendship, and it was in that regard, that he knew he loved her. But, he honestly wondered how much was their friendship being the block, or as they call it these days, "Friendzoned", and how much was the war itself.

He'd not been lying when he enlisted. He didn't want to kill anyone, he just didn't like bullies. But it was still a war. He still ended up killing nazis, no matter his core beliefs. The shield looked good and by the time he went under the ice he had gotten pretty good at using it as a non-lethal weapon, but the fact remained that even the shield could, and did, kill. Too much force here, thrown too fast there. And when facing against Hydra soldiers with their energy weapons, ricochet and energy dispersion became a factor. He hated to take lives, and though he hid it well, the 107th knew how badly it affected him... until it didn't. The day he lost Bucky.

Peggy saw the aftermath, and between her and the 107th, picked him back up and mostly back together, but he wasn't the same, and neither was his friends. Gone was the humor, jokes, even pranks on the enemy forces when open action hadn't been authorised. And gone was the subtlist of hesitations to go for a killing stroke, and that wasn't just himself, but Peggy too. Neither of them could look at each other the same way after that. Then he'd gone on the Valkyrie, he'd left Peggy. And it wasn't out of heroic self-sacrifice. He was a quick learner, it wouldn't have taken long to learn how to operate and fly the plane, even with its mix of advanced jet and primitive propellers. He could have even figured out how to crash it elsewhere, where it wouldn't even take him long to return to civilisation. He'd have survived. But he'd reached breaking point. He didn't think of any of that, because he just wanted to _stop_. He crashed the plane in greenland, because he knew that there, he'd have no hope for survival.

Then he'd woken in Manhattan, New York, October 8th, 2011. He'd kept composure long enough to be taken back into the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, and let it all hit. He was sent to the Retreat not because of time-shock, but a pretty heavy dose of PTSD. Fury knew, as did some of the therapists they'd brought in, who were experienced in helping soldiers who returned from other wars. But they'd kept that secret, along with his return. That he was alive was classified, for now, to give him time to adjust, time to get better.

He knew he'd still be a _long_ way from being able to step out and just socialise, if it weren't for Sharon.

Even last night, with her big secret revealed, talking about some of her history, why she joined SHIELD as a field agent and yet is a qualified nurse, she reminded him of, well, himself at the start of the war. Before he knew, he'd had no idea that there was that whole other side to her life because it wasn't a different side. She'd kept that there even was a secret, despite wanting to tell him all along, because S.H.I.E.L.D. Specialist Agent Thirteen was the same person as Sharon the Nurse. She both joined SHIELD and went to medical school for the same reason, to help people. Whether that was patching them up after a car accident, or defending them from those who seek to do harm. Or, in his case, give him a place where all of the worldly issues just fall away.

It had been difficult at first, talking to her. He'd been fresh from what he thought as a psychotic break, so difficult was rather putting it mildly. He initially thought that it was her crush on him that also made it difficult for her to open up, and though it was a reason she struggled to converse like a regular person with him, it was only with the truth that he realised why it started that why, and continued. With the biggest road-block gone, she had found it _much easier_ to talk, the way they did when she'd return from her long shifts at Brookdale Hospital. He'd already known the real Sharon. There was no fake Sharon. She helped him, pull himself back together, and did so because of who she was, not what she was, not that she had orders.

If she hadn't stuttered her way through asking him out like she had on Friday night, it wouldn't have been long before he asked her out. Not out of simple gratitude for keeping him from going crazy again, but because he cared about her as more than friends. He loved, pretty much everything about her. Her Mom had asked him to forgive her for keeping secrets, but she didn't need to, because that's when he realised he actually was crazy. Crazy in love with Sharon.

He just found it difficult to dismiss the age difference, and tried his hardest to dismiss his time in the ice in that regard. Without that, they were the same age, more or less. Had he been born on what he thinks the adjusted date of birth as, he knew that sure, they wouldn't have been in the same grade, that for much of the year the number itself would be different. That kind of difference didn't enter into anything. But Sixty six years... that did. He rather thought that without that hang up, he'd have asked her out a month ago.

But he wouldn't change how it _did_ happen for anything, not that it had.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asked, in between bites of her breakfast.

He inwardly smirked, and flirted, "Just thinking of how lucky I am to be here with you." He hid the wince at the delivery, and realised he was out of practice at overt flirting.

Sharon must have thought the same from the look on her face, and they both started laughing. It felt good to laugh. Probably because it was with Sharon.

 _Yes, definitely crazy-in-love._ he thought to himself.

* * *

 **Juniper Square, Jacquesville, Gardiners Island, Suffolk County**

For an Island that was bulldozed and completely rebuilt for S.H.I.E.L.D. it didn't have very good security once you got there. Sure, Most of the employee entrances to the underground facility were all protected, and the 'visitors entrance' on the surface, as well as other surface access points all had the requisite security. But in the 'civilian' areas, it was actually very lax. Very little actual Overt security measures - Sure, the 'commercial' premises had obvious CCTV pointed at the entrances and rear access, and the main thoroughfare running betwen Jacquesville, Gabe Point and Falsworth Harbour had traffic cams, but that was all an untrained civilian would see.

Those trained for Espionage, or those who lived with covert security measures growing up, it was actually easy to spot the covert means, or lack of them. With a visiting Head of State - Victor von Doom - along with three high-ranking members of other foreign governments, security was to be stepped up. That Victor had arrived before it could be on the Sunday had given the security service a headache, but not much of one because he was a known Enhanced. As a Head of State, S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't even try to assess him however, never mind actually go ahead and put him on the index. Rumors hold that he is an electrokinetic, though the only thing concrete about his abilities is that he's effectively bullet-proof. The other three, however, were not.

"Tango-Three, you've been spotted." Talia commented into Skye's earbud. Skye sighed, as she too had spotted the agents that were _supposed_ to be in disguise. Skye turned around, and gave an amused glare at her wife, who just grinned and stood back straight, though still well within Skye's personal space. "Security being a nightmare?"

Skye listened for a moment to whoever was on the other end of her comms, and nodded idly. "Tango Leader, you have two hours to re-evaluate disguises. I've spotted Tangos Three, Five, Six, Eight and Nine. Three, the grey wig is overdoing it. Five, you look like you're about to play cricket, and there's food in your pocket. Six, the patchwork doesn't suit you. Eight, you're not in the eighteen hundreds, and Nine, you look like a homeless U-Boat captain. Correction." She sighed, looking over Talia's left shoulder, "Eleven. Loose the bowtie, and where did you even _find_ a fez?" Talia looked around in amusement, then back at Skye when she added, "Don't blame the Doctor for your wardrobe malfunctions. Just wear normal civilian clothes and act like normal people. Seriously guys, it's not that difficult."

Talia chuckled, and tugged Skye to a bench, pulling out the ear-wig comms unit. Skye didn't sit though.

Juniper Square wasn't very big, but for the two-dozen attendees - if all those invited did make it - it was plenty of space. And the town didn't actually have anything indoors big enough. The tree cover however gave plenty of shade, and didn't come so low to prevent gazebos being erected around the statue in the centre. "How did you end up getting roped into working on your vacation?"

Skye sighed, "Victor responding that he was going to attend? I knew before I left my ship that I'd have to take charge of security." She smirked a little, "Fury would feel obligated to take advantage, otherwise."

"And a good job you've done." Talia flicked her eyes around, "The only mistake I've seen isn't your fault, and you've already pressed their team leader to sort it out. Tango Lead won't let you down. Now, come on, you need a break." Talia tugged at skye's arms again, and she capitulated, sitting besides Talia, legs almost touching. "How did your talk with Grandpa Frisbee go?"

"Pretty good. I may have challenged him to a frisbee match, though." Skye grinned a little, and added, "He was actually rather cool about my Professional name, for a grunt."

"And the news about Sharon's job?" Talia asked.

Skye shrugged. "It had, surprised him, and he did seem shaken, but he seemed otherwise okay about that. I left when they both started talking, and made me feel like a third wheel. I think they'll be okay." She chuckled, and added, "Pissed off at you for playing match-maker, but okay. I'm not sure he's realised that 'Agent Romanoff' is her Mamochka." Skye finished, using the Russian word for mother that Sharon called Talia by growing up, though once she'd started at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, Sharon mostly just called her Mother, though Skye was and still is 'Mom'. "Have you actually spoken to him?"

"Not yet." She pouted, and added, "I was thinking maybe I'd move into our apartment, and when Sharon wasn't around, strike up a friendship..."

"You wanted to bug _him_ into asking her out?" Skye smiled and shook her head.

Talia just shrugged, "He's been interested for a while, so I figure, since Sharon was ignoring me, it'd be easier to convince him." Skye blinked, and Talia chuckled lightly, "I can't think of anyone more suited to her, and vice-versa, can you?" Talia sighed and put her head on Skye's shoulder. "Girl needs to slow down a bit, and he needs to move on. It seems like a good balance."

Ignoring any looks that would have come their way - the security personnel may have recognised Talia as Agent Romanoff - Skye rested her own head against Talia's, and clasped hands. "We've all been worried about her, you're not the only one."

It didn't need to be said that they were worried because of how dedicated to the job Sharon was. Dedicated to S.H.I.E.L.D. as a specialist yet being a compassionate person was a combination to worry about. Having high-stress jobs of their own, both Skye and Talia knew that Peggy had worried about them, but not as much since Peggy knew they had each other to lean on. Literally, as they were presently. And until she'd met him, Skye had thought Sharon didn't have anyone, but now she knew she did. It had been, enlightening. Then she frowned, lifted her head and asked lowly, "How did you know Steve was interested in her?"

Talia sighed, "She did set up the gear in our apartment. Crashed there after a mission not long after he arrived, and I may have reviewed the tapes. It was, pretty plain to see."

With a scowl, Skye spoke, "There shouldn't be any cameras in his apartment... Or in Sharons."

"Relax." Talia inserted, grasping Skye's arm and stroking it slow. "There isn't any inside the apartments, just covering all angles in the lobby, stairs, and below. Sharon installed them between Steve being woken up and moving in. You know she wouldn't violate privacy on that level, come on. Though it was the camera footage from the utility room that made it clear." Skye relaxed, and they returned to their head-against-head, head-against-shoulder position. "You know the interaction. Sharon stutters, he acts shy. They bump into each other and both blush. Sharon gets home from a long shift and he hands her fresh towels out of the dryer still warm, and a few hours later the lobby camera shows him returning to his apartment from Sharon's and she thanks him for cooking."

Skye giggled. "In other words, they're already together, they just didn't know it." She sighed, "Why him, though? I know why I approve, but what about you?"

Talia lifted up a bit and held her gaze. "She's talked to me about how sweet his is with her. He cooks dinner for her while she's on her way home, listens to her as she talks about long shifts in the emergency room, and more. Whenever she's had to do overtime, he's checked up on her to make sure it was work and not that something happened to her on her way back, and even picked her up from the hospital and practically carried her up. She's an Agent, a specialist, her _life_ growing up being what it was, the issues with trust? and she trusts him _that much_ to _fall asleep_ even though she's riding behind him on his motorcycle? How can I not?"

Skye nodded slightly, soft smile thinking about it. Then they returned to position, and she sighed. "Brr. She tells me nothing. How come she tells you this stuff, yet complains to me about you trying to play matchmaker?" She wasn't serious, it was just that she knew Sharon felt more comfortable - despite the teasing - talking about that stuff with Talia, and work more with her.

"Because I'm awesome? Because she remembers all the stories about how _you_ were before we got together?"

Skye laughed. "Yeah that'll do it. God I was so awkward."

"Didn't you crash and burn in front of your C.O.? Awkward is an understatement." Skye elbowed her. "But once you said 'Fuck it'... damn."

Both of their eyes turned distant, remembering when Skye had literally said 'fuck it' and kissed Talia. Then Skye lifted her head again, and talia returned her gaze.

"Fuck it."

A minute later, they parted and Talia huskily asked, "Know where we can-"

A voice interrupted them, distorted. " _Mrs Carters? We can **hear you**. Please stop before it gets X-rated, thank you._"

Skye looked at the ear wig comm device in Talia's hand that they had both forgotten about. They both locked gaze, and instead of giggling, Skye just winked saucily at Talia, and stood up. Talia followed, and wondering what Skye was doing, let Skye pull the hand holding the device up to her mouth, and Skye spoke into it, "Delta Leader, thank you for reminding us that we are in public. You're in charge. See you at the party." She then turned the device off, plucked it from Talia's relaxed hand and put it onto the bench, and pulled Talia along. "I know the perfect place."

Behind them, they left a bemused, among other things, crowd of civilians and disguised security personnel.

* * *

 **Sawyer's Cafe, Jacquesville, Gardiners Island, Suffolk County - Several hours later**

Steve and Sharon sat on a couch, Sharon to his left, and an empty couch across the coffee table waiting, but not for long, filled within a few minutes by Sharon's parents, who set drinks down in front of them all. Talia sat to Skye's left, directly in front of Steve, with Skye across from Sharon.

"So, enjoy the tour?" Skye asked. She had shared her idea with the two the previous day that, before the party and before meeting up with Peggy that the two do a short tour of the island, showing where Sharon grew up, then meet up to get coffee in the cafe.

"I did. It's interesting how different it is from when it was Howards'." Steve replied. "Looks a lot better... but something's, off. Looks bigger, but that's just the green."

Skye and Talia shared a look. Talia took the cue. "That's actually because it _is_ bigger. The coast, all the way around the island, was extended out. The southern tip where the road tunnel surfaced? That was sand dunes that only appeared at low tide, and only a small amount. But from around the south part of this place," Talia indicated the village' town. "And up, yeah, it was the concrete jungle. You've been here before, I take it."

Steve nodded, "Before I left for Europe. It was a staging ground for the Army, loading a lot of troops onto brand-new ships. Most of the USO girls couldn't fly in a plane, and I didn't ask why, but it meant taking a boat there."

Sharon sighed, and all three could see on her face what she was thinking, that it was a _good_ thing he wasn't woken up in the facilities here, instead taken to New York. But only Sharon and Steve knew about the retreat, Neither Skye nor Talia knew about his break.

"So. Hi. Steve Rogers." Steve changed subject, holding a hand out to Talia.

"Natalia Carter." She returned, taking it lightly.

Steve smiled and let go. "So you're Sharon's _Mamochka_."

Talia smirked and nodded. "If you say you thought I'd be dumpier..."

They both laughed, though Steve looked like he didn't really get it. Sharon sighed. "Mama."

Skye distracted, and commented, "So. There's two Carters, and two Rogers at this table. Am I the only one finding it weird?"

"No." The other three answered. Steve and Sharon looked to Talia, who gave a small wave, then between each other, and Steve spoke up. "When it comes to namesakes, I've experienced weirder."

"You have?" Skye asked, "How much weirder than, well, me?" She almost sounded insulted that she _wasn't_ the weirdest.

"Well, for one I met the guy who _I_ was named after, and lets just say he'd fit right in with us." Steve revealed. "And that he could actually, if he was given an invitation. It didn't take long after my own serum to find out that Hydra weren't the only ones making one." He flicked a gaze to both Skye and Talia, and Skye realised she'd not actually told him about Talia, both her own enhancement, and that it was Talia who saved her life with it. "So yesterday, some things weren't as surprising to me as you figure."

Skye immediately turned to Sharon, and spoke, "Who wants to tell Fury this? Not it." was quickly followed by the other three at the same time. "So I'm a third generation, not second like I thought?"

Steve nodded. "He fought in the first war with my dad, so when he met me and _he_ commented on the coincidence of not just the stranger with the same name, but that person being, this," He waved a hand shortly, "He named my father when asking me if he was."

"So... repeated history with me then?"

Steve blinked, and parsed the similarities. Skye in his position. _Peggy_ in his own fathers'. "Pretty much. You've not fought in a big war, have you?"

"I have, actually. Vietnam. But I was a pilot, so I wasn't, on the ground, for most of it." Skye shifted, and Steve sent her a knowing, commiserating look. "I'll keep an eye out."

"Technically it's three Carters." The three looked at Sharon. "Legal Names, I mean. You, Mom and Mama. If we're using _professional_ names, then it's actually, a Rogers," She pointed at Skye, "A Romanoff", she pointed to Talia, "Thirteen," herself, "and America", Steve. They looked at her bemused. "What?"

Steve laughed a little, and looked at Talia, "So Mrs Carter,"

Talia rolled her eyes, "Talia when we're in private like this."

"So... uh, Talia... hmm," he blinked a bit, and murmured the russian word for mother that Sharon had used to refer to her. He flicked his gaze at Skye, returned it and said, "What do you do?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. Specialist. Within S.H.I.E.L.D. I go by Natasha Romanoff, just like Sharon is known only as Agent Thirteen." She paused, "Before I joined SHIELD, I went by a codename."

"Like mine?"

"No. Black Widow." It didn't take a genius to know what that meant. "I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind, given my own upbringing. It took a long time before I was ready, and by then SHIELD had already noticed me as my code-name and sent someone after me."

"To kill you? So how did..."

At this point, a chair was placed next to their table, between Steve and Talia, and the one who moved it sat down. "Kind of a long story, but short of it is that I was one of the few people in S.H.I.E.L.D. that knew Talia. Clint Barton." He held out a hand, and Steve shook it. "Even though Peggy was still the Director at the time, there was only so much she could personally oversee, so it was one of those times when something fell through the cracks, but thankfully the crack didn't go all the way. I was picked up for the assignment since some egghead analysts thought I'd do a good honey-trap if things got close, but I'm a good shot if I could keep my distance. I guess I don't need to explain how trying to honey-trap Talia could have gone?"

They laughed. Steve asked, "So when was this?" He looked at Clint and back at Talia, and she got the message about the age thing.

"Ninety-two, I think."

Sharon sighed. "I was only six years old, and didn't understand why my Mamochka disappeared so often, or why she was so sad when she was home." She looked at Skye, then to Steve, "She only seemed to be happy when she played with me, or when Mom was home and they'd disappear." She scrunched her nose a bit, then relaxed and continued, "So when Grandmother came in angry and upset... to explain it to me, she... she didn't want to tell me that she thought my Mamochka might be _dead_ , and I wouldn't have understood that anyway. She told me that Mamochka wasn't coming home, that she couldn't." Steve pulled her into a one-arm embrace, as the thought still upset the young agent, who looked down at their clasped hands. "I was so happy when she did." She looked up at Clint, "That my Uncle Legolas found her and convinced her to come home. I didn't know what actually happened until I'd joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and would have quit if it wasn't for what he told me."

Both Skye and Talia looked like this was news to them. Clint spoke up. "The moment I saw that the fabled 'Black Widow' was Talia, I almost called it in ready to tell everyone off for what I thought must have been a training exercise, or some mistake. I realised why it was a very much real mission, for S.H.I.E.L.D. and so someone _else_ would have been sent in my place if I said no. I watched long enough to make sure it the area was safe to approach to realise why it all happened though. I'm sure that even if I _didn't_ know Talia before then, I would have still made that call, though she might have tried to shoot me before I could help, and I told Sharon this, as well as why I Joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and that if she left, maybe one day, someone she would have been sent after, someone lost, wouldn't get the same chance because it wasn't her."

Steve looked at Sharon softly, and they all saw the look, he was understanding Sharon a bit more. "One more reason why you became a nurse?" Sharon nodded.

"So yeah. Talia joined S.H.I.E.L.D. with the public backing of my Supervising Officer and privately, Peggy's, and within a year started going on missions."

"I was partnered with Fury at first, Peggy wanted to keep her good eye on me." She smirked as they all groaned at her pun. "After he was made Director though, Clint became my partner and we'd gotten into a lot of trouble ever since." Clint nodded vigorously, emphasizing that she was understating things a bit.

"So, what have you been doing, got a job yet?" Clint asked, ignoring the sudden subtle glares from the girls.

"I'm still getting used to, well, everything." Steve dodged, "So much has changed, and what would I even do, anyway?" He didn't need to say that going back into the military was off the table, same with joining S.H.I.E.L.D. and field work.

Talia grinned, "You could just do the modern thing, and be Sharon's Kept Man." Both blushed as Skye and Clint laughed.

Steve still managed to respond, "It's not like I'd need a job to support myself anyway." They blinked, and this time he was smiling a little as he got to drop a bomb-shell. "I didn't actually spend much of my income, and since I wasn't relieved of duty until about two months ago..." He shrugged with his free shoulder at Skye and Talia's surprised look.

With no tact, Clint asked, "Two months? Weren't you awake for six, and who in the Army knows?"

"I spoke with a General Ross. He seemed, upset, that he wasn't told I'd been found until recently." Steve answered. "I asked him to keep it quiet, I uh... didn't want any fuss to be made. There's only a dozen that know."

Clint looked surprised. "Surprised he didn't make you front-page news."

"I'm not." Skye spoke up, and at the surprised looks, "He'd have wanted you to sign back up, right? And put you into Covert Operations, or something."

Steve nodded a little. "He told me to think on that, but for now, I retain my commission, receive my back pay and allowances, and I'm on stand-down, but I'm still drawing an income." he smiled. "How do you think I afford Gas? Especially at today's prices?" Sharon giggled a little.

"So how much did you get?" Clint asked, once more the tactless one. "And how long did it take, getting back-pay is supposed to be a pain, according to some of my friends in the service."

"Well, technically they never stopped paying. Some, arrangements had been made after I went missing." He lost the smile, a little, "I guess Howard thought, correctly it turns out, that the serum would have saved me. He made a deal with the government, that basically means they continued paying me instead of withholding payment, but it all went into uh, escrow. And all my assets would still continue to, acrue. If I wasn't found and revived after a hundred years since I was declared M.I.A., I'd be officially declared K.I.A and my assets passed on to the descendants of those designated in my will, while the money would be donated to numerous Veterans' charities."

Talia raised an eyebrow, "Assets beyond the apartment?"

Skye figured it out. "War bonds."

"And shares in Stark Industries." He grinned at their faces. "How do you think Howard knew me well enough to make that kind of deal? I told him that, if I didn't survive the war, that I wanted him to have my war bonds and put it into his company. With the M.I.A, he interpreted that as cashing the war bonds and then using that money to purchase shares in my name, ready for me whenever I got out." He sighed sadly. "Fury found some boxes that Howard kept in storage, some letters and documents explaining a lot of it. One telling me to approach the Army, since much of it was contingent on them keeping the agreement." He chuckled softly, "So, I don't need to work for a living." He looked at Sharon, who, the other three realised, didn't look surprised in the least. "I could be, you know."

"Be what?" Sharon asked, blushing.

He smiled softly, and a light squeeze of the hand, and amused glance at Talia, "Your kept man." Sharon blushed a deeper red, but snuggled in closer. He gave a light kiss to her forehead.

The moment was ruined though, by Talia crowing, "YES!"

Everyone in the whole place stared, while Sharon closed her eyes and muttered, "Mama, please."

Settling down, they all took sips of their cooling drinks, and Clint asked again, "So just how loaded are you?"

"Loaded, and leave it at that." Sharon spoke up, sitting straight and staring at her 'Uncle Legolas'.

"I don't mind." Steve spoke softly, and she backed down. "My actual back pay was about, Three point five million dollars." Clint whistled.

"So how much are your shares worth?"

"Clint..." Talia muttered in warning, but he ignored it.

"I mean, sure in 1945 you wouldn't have had much to start with, but share prices would be much higher now, and I don't know how stocks and shares work but I'm sure one's supposed to pay out regularly, while the other is only worth anything when you actually buy low and sell high."

"Clint..." Talia growled.

"Well, I don't know the current price, or how many shares as a number..." Steve hedged. "I just know that I have about five percent of the company shares."

They sat in silence, wide-eyed while Sharon softly giggled a little. The Clint exclaimed, "You're not a millionaire. You're a billionaire."

Steve shrugged lightly. "I'm not, not really."

Clint pulled out his cell phone, and within a minute found what he was looking for. "Current share prices... Three hundred and eight dollars per share. Total number of shares in the... Carry the six..."

Clint looked up, then down. "Uh... you do realise that Stark Industries is worth about three hundred _billion_ right now? Yes. You are a billionaire because those shares are probably worth about twenty two _billion_ ".

"It's just money." Steve tried, looking embarrassed.

Talia snorted. "So that's how it is, huh? A taste of money and you're already sounding like every 'modest' rich guy ever." She joked, and after pause, joined Sharon in chuckling.

Skye spoke up. "You've got it wrong, Clint." She looked at Steve, "For starters, I know for a fact that you actually own _ten_ percent. Your personal slice is about forty-five billion."

Clint looked at Sharon, "You knew most of this, didn't you?" She nodded slowly, "I know you're not the type, but some people might think you're only after him for the money."

Sharon's gasp of outrage was not pretend, and Steve held her down from leaping up after Clint. Skye spoke into the tense silence. "Yeah well, it's not like Steve's the only billionaire sat at this table."

Clint blinked.

"Tony may own half the company, but right now..." Skye, looking amused continued, "The other half is on this island, and thirty-five of that five is at this table. Show of hands those who own part of Stark Industries?" Sharon raised her hand, to Clints' surprise, as did Steve, and Skye added her own. "Ten, Ten..." She spoke pointed at Steve and Sharon. "Fifteen." She pointed to herself. "A good chunk of that was actually willed when Howard passed. The rest, well. A few years ago, something happened, and the Company stock value dropped from almost two hundred billion, down to sixty billion, and the public investors were trying to sell, and no one was buying... except for me. In all, it cost me just two billion for five percent of the company."

Steve and Clint both stared. Sharon already knew, and Talia looked a little uncomfortable. "Honey, I think we broke them."

"Where did you even get the Capital?" Clint asked.

"Two places." Talia answered spoke up. "One, Mama was rather frugal so a lot of her income went into savings and investments. And two, those shares in the company did in fact pay dividends, which all added up."

"We work because we like it, and pretty much all our normal income is divided and sent to various charities. Most of it is pretty automatic now. And that's why _no one_ would think of Sharon as a gold-digger: She's already got her own fortune sitting nice." Skye finished.

"But... aren't there rules, you're in the military, and... but..."

Skye knew what he was getting at regarding ownership and bias. "It's not like we're breaking what rules apply. Benefit of having two names that are both legal. My fifteen percent is as Skye Carter. It just means there are restrictions in the very specific areas of overlap." Skye looked at Steve, who was tuned out, and she realised Sharon had as well.

"Honey, no more money talk, we've got two hours before we're meeting Peggy and..." Talia waved at Sharon and Steve, "We were supposed to be relaxing." She turned to Clint, "I blame you, its budapest all over again."

Clint sputtered, "Hey that... completely different." Skye settled against Talia, "Now I feel like a fifth wheel. See you later, I'm gonna go bug Doom."

As he left, they could hear him mutter about self-absorbed rich Assholes, and why couldn't he get a gazillion shares in a company?

* * *

 **Authors note:** Lots of places on my fictional Gardiners Island is named after the Howling Commandos.

Also, for real in 1937, it did go on sale, but was bought by a member of the Gardiner Family. In this timeline, it was bought by Howard, but not in the MCU alpha timeline, (earliest known difference). This had a ripple effect on the company, so it was worth a lot more than the thirty-billion estimate by forbes. Here it's actually on this' universes Global Top One Hundred, though it dropped ridiculously low (compared to its value) After 'Iron Man (2008)', which is the reference in the last scene.

I actually calculated the whole lot too, what the 5/10/15 percent shares would be worth, how many shares would need to exist for share prices and so on. Stark Industries is so high as well because its not **just** a defence contractor building F-22s up to that point. In this one, there's both military and civil aviation (Iron Man 2008, stark and rhodes travel to afghanistan in a unique looking SI-branded jet, so headcanon? SI is like Boeing- it has a civilian division for jets.) Also owns Newport News Shipyards in this timeline, responsible for building and overhaul of US Navy Carriers.

This presents a little issue that explain why people would be pissed off with tony: when he said, shutting down the weapons division, what is he classifying as weapons? the Guns themselves? (now the US Navy need to pay for those aircraft carriers currently under construction to be outfitted after construction instead of during, with non-Stark systems, which increases cost due to lack of compatibility?) Bullets for the guns they already have? What about mobile vehicles with integraded SI weapons systems? And, well, do Frigates, Cruisers and Destroyers count?)

However, after half a century of saving up both unspent income from SHIELD, income from during/before the war, and all the dividends paid out by Peggy's shares of Stark Industries, with a huge injection when Howard died, and some of those given to peggy were liquidated ... well, by 2008, the savings there amount to a sufficient bailout by purchasing the shares of those who wanted out. After that, the'res only five share-holders. Tony, at fifty percent. Steve and Sharon, at ten, and Peggy and Skye at fifteen, though from certain legal points of view, Skye's are also Natasha's. And Tony only knows that the 'four mystery backers' are perfectly fine with his new direction for the company. In the real world, it's like if Boeing decided to stop the military side, and then instead of that, decided to spread into technology and become a weird crossbreed of Apple and Microsoft, though in the MCU it's apparently already the case. (Stark phone, stark business jet, stark f-22's, then there's stark computers, stark microchip (I dont think he's got Intel Inside! Nor AMD)... It's more like if Apple had years ago started out as a weapons company with a tech side, and shed the weight, and used the freed-up but not-sacked employees to expand the other existing divisions. My headcanon.


End file.
